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<td><span style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size:20px;font-weight:bold;">PsyPost – Psychology News Daily Digest (Unofficial)</span></td>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/regular-aerobic-exercise-shows-promise-in-combating-alzheimers-disease-markers/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Regular aerobic exercise shows promise in combating Alzheimer’s disease markers</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 08:00</div>
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<p><p>New research suggests that consistent aerobic exercise could be a powerful tool in reducing the biological signs associated with Alzheimer’s disease. A study conducted by scientists from the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom and the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil has found that regular physical activity significantly lowered markers of Alzheimer’s disease in laboratory rats. These encouraging results offer renewed hope for developing effective strategies against this debilitating brain disorder, indicating that exercise may protect brain cells and restore balance in aging brains.</p>
<p>Alzheimer’s disease, a progressive condition that erodes memory, language, and thinking abilities, currently lacks a cure. Symptoms develop gradually, and brain changes related to the disease can begin decades before any outward signs appear. This long preclinical phase underscores the urgency of finding preventive measures. While lifestyle interventions such as diet and physical activity have been explored as potential preventive approaches, the number of people living with Alzheimer’s continues to rise, highlighting the limited success of current treatments and preventive strategies.</p>
<p>Understanding how to prevent or slow down Alzheimer’s is therefore a critical public health challenge. Scientists are working to identify risk and protective factors and create reliable ways to predict an individual’s risk of developing dementia. Notably, mortality rates from Alzheimer’s are increasing, contrasting with declines seen in other major diseases like heart disease and some cancers. This stark trend underscores the pressing need for effective ways to tackle Alzheimer’s.</p>
<p>For many years, the buildup of amyloid plaques and tau tangles in the brain has been considered the hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. However, it has become clear that these deposits alone do not fully explain the disease, as some individuals with these brain changes never develop Alzheimer’s symptoms. More recently, scientists have turned their attention to the degeneration of the myelin sheath, the protective covering around nerve fibers, as a potential factor in Alzheimer’s.</p>
<p>Damage to myelin and the cells that produce it, oligodendrocytes, seems to occur even before the accumulation of amyloid and tau. Oligodendrocytes are known to contain high levels of iron, and their breakdown could release iron, potentially contributing to amyloid problems. Problems with the brain’s chemical signaling systems may also play a role in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. Given the complexity of Alzheimer’s and the various hypotheses surrounding its development, researchers are exploring multiple avenues to understand and combat the disease. This particular study focused on the amyloid, tau, and iron hypotheses, investigating how physical exercise might influence these factors in the brain.</p>
<p>This line of research is particularly meaningful for scientists, such as the study’s lead author, who have witnessed the impact of Alzheimer’s firsthand.</p>
<p>“I spent much time with my grandparents and other elderly people as a child. From an early age, I paid special attention to the health of the elderly people I loved. As an adult, I took care of my elderly parents and experienced the difficulties that both of them had when they developed dementia,” said study author Robson Campos Gutierre, director of the <a href="https://www.institutoalmeria.com.br/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Almeria Institute of Integrative Science</a>.</p>
<p>To explore the potential benefits of exercise, Gutierre and his colleagues used a group of aged male rats, approximately equivalent to middle-aged humans. Ten rats were divided into two groups: an exercise group and a control group. The exercise group underwent an eight-week aerobic exercise program on a treadmill, five times a week. Before starting the formal exercise program, the rats were familiarized with the treadmill over three days to reduce stress and ensure they could run.</p>
<p>The researchers assessed each rat’s running ability and only included rats that demonstrated they were capable runners in the exercise group, ensuring that any observed effects were due to exercise and not stress differences. The exercise sessions started with a warm-up and gradually increased in duration and intensity over the eight weeks. The control group did not exercise but was handled in a similar way to the exercise group, including being placed on the non-moving treadmill to control for any stress related to the experimental environment.</p>
<p>After the eight-week exercise period, the researchers examined the rats’ brains. They used specific staining techniques to visualize and measure key markers associated with Alzheimer’s disease in the hippocampus, a brain region critical for memory. Beyond simply identifying these markers, the researchers used a stereological method, a sophisticated technique for accurately counting cells and measuring volumes in three-dimensional structures like the brain. This method allowed them to precisely quantify the volume of amyloid plaques and tau tangles, as well as count different types of brain cells: neurons (specifically pyramidal and granule neurons), oligodendrocytes, and microglia (immune cells of the brain).</p>
<p>The results of the study revealed striking differences between the exercised and sedentary rats. The rats that engaged in regular aerobic exercise showed significant reductions in all the key Alzheimer’s markers examined. Specifically, they had approximately 63% less tau tangle volume and about 76% less amyloid plaque volume in their hippocampus compared to the control group. Iron accumulation in oligodendrocytes was also dramatically reduced, by roughly 58%, in the exercised rats.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the researchers observed positive changes in brain cell health in the exercise group. The number of healthy oligodendrocytes, the cells responsible for producing myelin and protecting nerve fibers, was significantly higher in the exercised rats, about twice as high as in the control group. Conversely, the number of oligodendrocytes showing iron accumulation was significantly lower in the exercise group, about half the number found in the control group. In terms of neurons, the exercised rats had approximately two and a half times more normal pyramidal and granule neurons compared to the sedentary rats. Importantly, the number of neurons affected by tau tangles was about four times lower in the exercise group.</p>
<p>The study also examined microglia, the brain’s immune cells, which can become activated and contribute to inflammation in Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found that the number of microglia in a phagocytic state – indicating they were actively cleaning up debris or harmful substances – was significantly reduced in the exercised rats. Different staining methods for microglia revealed that exercised rats had fewer microglia containing iron and fewer microglia containing general cellular debris, suggesting reduced brain inflammation and cell death. Interestingly, the number of non-phagocytic microglia was somewhat higher in the exercise group, which might indicate a shift towards a less inflammatory and more supportive role for these cells.</p>
<p>Finally, the researchers investigated the relationships between different brain measurements. They found that exercise appeared to improve the natural communication between neurons and oligodendrocytes, and to shift the relationship between amyloid and iron from a negative to a positive association, suggesting a beneficial change in how these factors interact in the brain after exercise. In sedentary rats, there were negative correlations between iron in oligodendrocytes and non-phagocytic microglia, and between iron in oligodendrocytes and overall phagocytic microglia. However, in exercised rats, there were positive correlations between iron in oligodendrocytes and phagocytic microglia, and between neurons and non-phagocytic microglia. These complex relationships point to a fundamental shift in brain cell interactions induced by exercise.</p>
<p>“Our research assessed how various factors involved in Alzheimer’s disease interact with physical activity,” Gutierre told PsyPost. “We reaffirmed its preventive and therapeutic potential, as all factors changed positively. We also demonstrated that excess iron accumulated in a specific cell type, oligodendrocytes, can cause brain damage related to Alzheimer’s.”</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledge that their study has some limitations. Using aged rats, while valuable for studying aging-related changes, is not a perfect model for human Alzheimer’s disease. Rats do not naturally develop Alzheimer’s in the same way humans do, and the study did not use rats genetically engineered to mimic Alzheimer’s pathology. Nevertheless, the findings provide important insights into fundamental biological processes that are likely shared across species.</p>
<p>The researchers are now planning clinical trials in humans to test if regular aerobic exercise can produce similar beneficial effects on Alzheimer’s markers in people. They are also interested in developing drugs that target iron metabolism and cell death pathways, based on their findings that iron accumulation and cell death are significantly impacted by exercise and are likely important targets for Alzheimer’s therapies.</p>
<p>“In the long term, we would like to use our statistical data for application in pharmacological therapies and to indicate different physical exercise protocols,” Gutierre said. “I want to clarify that the iron data in this study do not directly refer to the amount of iron ingested through the diet. The iron measured likely originated from red blood cells that left blood vessels damaged by aging.”</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brainres.2024.149419" target="_blank">Tau, amyloid, iron, oligodendrocytes ferroptosis, and inflammaging in the hippocampal formation of aged rats submitted to an aerobic exercise program</a>,” was authored by R.C. Gutierre, P.R. Rocha, A.L. Graciani, A.A. Coppi, and R.M. Arid.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/personality-shapes-mate-poaching-tactics-according-to-new-study-on-the-psychology-of-partner-stealing/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Personality shapes mate-poaching tactics, according to new study on the psychology of partner stealing</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 21st 2025, 06:00</div>
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<p><p>New research published in <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s40806-025-00424-8"><em>Evolutionary Psychological Science</em></a> suggests that a person’s personality can influence the way they attempt to attract someone who is already in a relationship. The study found that individuals who are naturally inclined to be dominant are more likely to use forceful or intrusive tactics when trying to “poach” a partner, while those who are more prestige-oriented tend to employ gentler, more appealing approaches.</p>
<p>The motivation behind this study, conducted by Kyle E. Conlon, stemmed from a gap in our understanding of mate poaching, which refers to the act of trying to attract someone away from their current romantic partner. While previous research has explored how personality affects general mate attraction and relationship maintenance, less attention has been paid to how specific personality traits relate to the tactics people use when attempting to lure someone away from an existing relationship.</p>
<p>“I’ve long been interested in mating psychology, but from a scientific perspective, mate poaching is especially fascinating,” explained Conlon, a psychology professor at Stephen F. Austin State University. “Poaching a desired mate who is already in an existing exclusive relationship is both complex and risky. It requires an astute social savvy to effectively lure someone away from their current partner without raising the mated partner’s suspicion. There are advantages, but there are also substantial downsides to getting caught.”</p>
<p>For this study, Conlon recruited a large group of participants from a university in East Texas. A total of 559 undergraduate students participated in the study, the majority of whom identified as heterosexual. The participants, mostly women, with an average age of 19, were primarily White and non-Hispanic. Each student completed a series of questionnaires online.</p>
<p>First, to measure dominance and prestige orientation, participants filled out the Dominance-Prestige Scales. This questionnaire included seventeen statements designed to assess how dominant and prestige-oriented individuals perceived themselves to be. For example, to measure dominance orientation, participants rated their agreement with statements like “I enjoy having control over others” and “Others know it is better to let me have my way.” To measure prestige orientation, they responded to statements such as “I am held in high esteem by those I know” and “Others seek my advice on a variety of matters.”</p>
<p>Next, participants completed the Anonymous Romantic Attraction Survey. This survey was designed to assess their past experiences with mate poaching, both as someone attempting to poach and as someone being targeted for poaching. The survey asked participants to indicate how often they had tried to attract someone already in a relationship, both for a short-term sexual relationship and for a long-term relationship. They also rated how successful they were in these attempts.</p>
<p>Similarly, the survey asked about their experiences being the target of mate poaching attempts while they were in a relationship, again for both short-term and long-term intentions, and how successful those attempts were. The survey also collected information on their current relationship status and satisfaction.</p>
<p>Finally, to get a detailed understanding of the specific tactics used in mate poaching, participants completed a mate poaching enticement scale. This scale listed 51 different actions that people might use to try to attract someone in a relationship, categorized into 20 different types of tactics. For each action, participants indicated how frequently they had performed it in the past to attract someone who was already romantically involved, using a scale of “never performed this act” to “performed this act more than twice.”</p>
<p>After analyzing the data collected from these questionnaires, Conlon found that individuals who scored high in dominance orientation reported more attempts at mate poaching and they also reported greater success in these attempts. Furthermore, they were more likely to report being targeted for mate poaching themselves.</p>
<p>When examining specific mate poaching tactics, dominance orientation showed a positive association with a wide range of tactics, including both seemingly positive ones like “using humor” and “demonstrating resources,” as well as more negative or forceful tactics. Notably, dominance orientation was strongly associated with tactics like “derogating one’s current partner,” “inviting meddling into the relationship,” and “occupying the mate’s time.”</p>
<p>Prestige orientation presented a different picture. It was not significantly related to how often people attempted or succeeded at mate poaching. However, individuals with high prestige orientation did report being targeted for mate poaching, but interestingly, they were less likely to be successfully poached. This suggests that while they were seen as desirable targets, they were also more resistant to being lured away.</p>
<p>Regarding specific tactics, prestige orientation was positively associated with more prosocial tactics like “being generous” and “using humor.” In contrast to dominance orientation, prestige orientation was negatively associated with using the tactic of “getting the mate drunk.”</p>
<p>“I found it interesting that dominance-oriented individuals tried a lot of different strategies, whereas prestige-oriented individuals were seemingly more selective in the strategies they used,” Conlon told PsyPost.</p>
<p>In terms of gender differences, men in the study reported being more dominance-oriented than women. Men were also more likely to report having attempted to poach both short-term and long-term partners and indicated they were more often successfully poached as short-term partners themselves. Looking at specific poaching tactics, men reported more frequently using tactics like “occupying the desired partner’s time,” “waiting around,” and “derogating their current partner” compared to women.</p>
<p>“This work suggests that individuals may adopt mate poaching strategies in line with their self-perceived dominance and prestige,” Conlon explained. “Whereas dominant people may poach by saying negative things about someone’s partner or by trying to interfere directly with the relationship, people high in prestige take a different approach. Instead, prestigious people attempt to be funny, kind, and generous – in short, they leverage their prestige to attract away a currently mated partner.”</p>
<p>But as with all research, there are limitations to consider. Firstly, the study relied on self-reported measures of dominance, prestige, and mate poaching behaviors, which could be influenced by social desirability bias or inaccuracies in self-perception. Participants might have underreported socially undesirable behaviors like mate poaching, or they might not accurately assess their own levels of dominance and prestige. Secondly, the sample consisted primarily of young undergraduate students, which could limit the generalizability of the findings.</p>
<p>Looking ahead, future research should build on these findings by including a more diverse sample and by considering additional factors that might play a role in mate poaching. One promising direction is to examine how these self-perceptions of dominance and prestige relate to other personality traits.</p>
<p>“I think it would be interesting to see how these variables relate to other individual differences such as the Dark Triad traits,” Conlon said.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s40806-025-00424-8" target="_blank">You Stole My Heart: Mate Poaching Tactics of Dominance- and Prestige-Oriented Individuals</a>,” was published February 5, 2025.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/brief-intervention-boosts-grit-in-teenage-boys-study-finds/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Brief intervention boosts grit in teenage boys, study finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 20th 2025, 14:00</div>
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<p><p>A new study from Norway suggests that a brief educational program can help teenage boys develop more grit, a trait linked to success and well-being. Researchers discovered that a short intervention focused on building belief in one’s own abilities led to a noticeable increase in grit among male students. This finding, published in <em><a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1438280/full" target="_blank">Frontiers in Education</a></em>, offers a promising and simple way to support boys in developing the mental toughness needed to overcome challenges and achieve their goals.</p>
<p>The researchers embarked on this study because they were concerned about the mental health and motivation of young people in Norway. While Norwegian teenagers generally report a good quality of life, recent trends indicate a worrying decline in their mental well-being. Studies have shown increasing feelings of loneliness, stress, and psychological discomfort among adolescents. Furthermore, motivation in school tends to decrease as students get older, hitting its lowest point around the age of 15.</p>
<p>Recognizing these issues, and understanding that schools can play a role in promoting mental health, the Norwegian government has emphasized mental well-being within the national school curriculum. However, the curriculum lacked specific guidance on how to effectively incorporate mental health topics into everyday schoolwork. This gap between policy and practical implementation led researchers to investigate whether targeted programs could be developed to boost motivation and overall well-being in schools.</p>
<p>To explore this, the researchers designed a study to test a new program aimed at increasing what they termed “I CAN” beliefs, which are essentially beliefs in one’s own capabilities. They recruited 421 students around 15 years old from 38 schools across Norway. These schools were already participating in a program called MOT, a youth development organization focused on building resilience in young people. The students were randomly divided into two groups: an experimental group and a control group. Both groups participated in an intervention program that was new to them. The experimental group received the “I CAN” intervention, while the control group participated in a program that focused on learning about different parts of the brain.</p>
<p>Before the interventions began, all students completed questionnaires to assess their levels of grit and growth mindset. Grit was measured using a questionnaire that evaluates perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Growth mindset, the belief that abilities can be developed through effort and learning, was measured using a separate questionnaire developed by the researchers. Following this initial assessment, 256 students in the experimental group took part in the “I CAN” intervention, and 165 students in the control group participated in the brain-focused intervention. Both interventions were short, consisting of two 45-minute sessions.</p>
<p>The “I CAN” intervention was designed to activate a mental “switch” in students, encouraging them to develop stronger beliefs in their abilities. It was built on the idea that beliefs can be changed relatively quickly, unlike skills which often require extended practice. The intervention incorporated several key elements. It included information about how the brain develops and changes, emphasizing that the brain is malleable and can be shaped through learning and experiences. It stressed the importance of effort and repetition in building strong connections in the brain, promoting the idea that perseverance is key to improvement. The intervention also highlighted the concept of deliberate practice, which involves focused and sustained effort to improve in a specific area.</p>
<p>To make these concepts relatable, the intervention used examples and stories, including the story of a Norwegian snowboarder who achieved success despite significant health challenges. Metaphors, like “climbing your own ladder,” were used to illustrate personal growth and the idea that everyone can improve, even if they start at different points. Short, engaging activities were incorporated to maintain students’ attention throughout the sessions. A core component of the “I CAN” intervention involved three key messages: “You can achieve more than you realize if you invest sufficient effort,” “When faced with challenges, you can overcome them if you put your mind to it,” and “Self-belief and a positive focus are keys to success.” At the end of the intervention, students were asked to write down a personal reminder note of what they learned, to take home with them.</p>
<p>The control intervention, titled “Our Brain,” provided students with basic information about the brain. It covered topics such as the evolutionary development of the brain, the structure and function of neurons (brain cells), and the different lobes or sections of the brain and their general functions. It also briefly explained the cerebellum and brainstem, and how different parts of the brain work together. Importantly, this control intervention was designed to be purely informational, without any motivational or encouraging messages.</p>
<p>After the interventions, about eight to nine weeks later, students completed the grit and growth mindset questionnaires again. The researchers then analyzed the data to see if there were any changes in grit and growth mindset scores between the pre-test and post-test, and if there were differences between the experimental and control groups.</p>
<p>The analysis of the results showed that, overall, there were no significant differences between the experimental and control groups in their grit or growth mindset scores after the interventions. However, when the researchers looked more closely at the experimental group, they found a marginally significant increase in grit for the group as a whole. More notably, they discovered a statistically significant increase in grit specifically among the male students in the experimental group.</p>
<p>This meant that the male students who participated in the “I CAN” intervention showed a real and measurable improvement in their grit scores compared to their scores before the intervention. In contrast, the control group showed no significant changes in grit or growth mindset.</p>
<p>The researchers concluded that their short “I CAN” intervention appeared to be effective in increasing grit, particularly in teenage boys. They suggested that the intervention may have successfully “turned on the switch” for these boys, strengthening their beliefs in their ability to persevere. The fact that the intervention seemed to have a stronger effect on boys might be related to gender differences in academic performance and interests.</p>
<p>Boys in Norway tend to face more academic challenges in school compared to girls, and they may have more untapped potential for improvement in areas like grit. Additionally, the examples used in the intervention, some of which related to elite sports, might have resonated more strongly with boys, potentially influencing their grit levels more effectively.</p>
<p>The researchers acknowledged some limitations to their study. The follow-up assessment was conducted only eight to nine weeks after the intervention, so the long-term effects of the program are still unknown. They also pointed out that they could not be completely certain that all teachers delivered the interventions exactly as planned, which could have affected the results. Furthermore, they suggested that the control intervention, which focused on brain information, might not have been the ideal comparison.</p>
<p>For future research, the team plans to conduct a larger study with older teenagers, aged 16 to 19, involving a greater number of participants in both the experimental and control groups. They also aim to investigate why the “I CAN” intervention appeared to be more effective for boys and explore ways to better tailor similar programs to benefit girls as well. Longer-term follow-up studies are needed to determine if the positive effects on grit are sustained over time. Despite these limitations, this study offers encouraging evidence that a simple, brief intervention can make a positive difference in developing grit, especially in teenage boys, potentially contributing to their future success and well-being.</p>
<p>The study, “<a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/education/articles/10.3389/feduc.2024.1438280/full" target="_blank">I CAN intervention to increase grit and growth mindset: exploring the intervention for 15-year-olds Norwegian adolescents</a>,” was authored by Hermundur Sigmundsson, Håvard Hauge, Jonas S. R. Leversen, and Monika Haga</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/how-ssris-affect-serotonin-receptors-new-findings-from-a-depression-study/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">How SSRIs affect serotonin receptors: New findings from a depression study</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 20th 2025, 12:00</div>
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<p><p>A study of depressed individuals found that an eight‐week treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) reduced the activity of 5-HT4 receptors—a specific type of serotonin receptor—in the neostriatum region of the brain. This finding is consistent with the expectation that the treatment increases the concentration of the neurotransmitter serotonin in the brain. The paper was published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.08.009"><em>Biological Psychiatry</em></a>.</p>
<p data-start="444" data-end="816">Depression, or major depressive disorder, is one of the most common mental health conditions. It is characterized by persistent sadness, a loss of interest in activities, and emotional or physical symptoms that interfere with daily life. Treatment options include psychotherapy, medication, lifestyle changes, and social support, depending on the severity of the symptoms.</p>
<p data-start="818" data-end="1281">Drugs used to treat depression are called antidepressants. There are several types of antidepressants, each with a different mechanism of action. One frequently used type is selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). These drugs act on the systems in the brain that use the neurotransmitter serotonin (or 5-HT). It is believed that they increase the availability of serotonin in the brain, although more specific data on the mechanism of action are limited.</p>
<p data-start="1283" data-end="1738">Study author Vibeke H. Dam and her colleagues aimed to explore whether the binding of serotonin to 5-HT4 receptors in patients with major depressive disorder is associated with cognitive and depressive symptoms following antidepressant treatment. They hypothesized that treatment with SSRIs would reduce the binding of serotonin to these receptors in the brain and that this change would be accompanied by changes in depressive symptoms and verbal memory.</p>
<p data-start="1740" data-end="2112">The study included 100 participants who had not previously been treated with antidepressants. They were recruited from the mental health system in the capital region of Denmark and enrolled in the NeuroPharm depression study, an open, nonrandomized 12-week clinical trial. Participants were between 18 and 65 years old and exhibited moderate or severe depressive symptoms.</p>
<p data-start="2114" data-end="2687">Participants were assigned to take escitalopram, an SSRI, for 12 weeks, starting at doses of 10 to 20 mg/day. The initial dose was adjusted by clinicians as necessary. At the start of treatment, participants underwent positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of their brains. These scans were repeated after eight weeks of treatment. Participants also completed a series of cognitive tests at the start of the study and after 12 weeks. Because many participants dropped out of the study, complete data were collected from only 39 individuals.</p>
<p data-start="2689" data-end="2944">Results showed that the initial level of 5-HT4 receptor binding activity in the neocortex, neostriatum, and hippocampus was not associated with the participants’ response to antidepressant treatment (i.e., whether their symptoms improved and by how much).</p>
<p data-start="2946" data-end="3302">However, 5-HT4 receptor binding activity decreased by 9% during the eight weeks of treatment in the neostriatum. There were no changes in 5-HT4 receptor binding activity in the neocortex or hippocampus. Interestingly, participants who experienced the smallest decrease in 5-HT4 receptor binding activity tended to show larger improvements in verbal memory.</p>
<p data-start="3304" data-end="3571">The neostriatum is part of the basal ganglia and plays a role in mood regulation through its connections with the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system. Dysfunctions in this region are linked to mood disorders such as major depressive disorder and bipolar disorder.</p>
<p>“Initiation of antidepressant SSRI/SNRI [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors / serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors] treatment of otherwise untreated patients with MDD [major depressive disorder] induces a reduction in cerebral 5- HT4Rs that is consistent with increases in synaptic extracellular 5-HT [serotonin] independent of overall clinical response. However, the less it was reduced, the better patients performed on verbal memory tasks,” the study authors concluded.</p>
<p data-start="4065" data-end="4480">The study contributes to the scientific understanding of the mechanisms of action of antidepressants. However, it should be noted that the study design does not allow for any causal inferences to be made. Because the study did not include a control group or any other type of control, it cannot be definitively concluded that the observed reductions in receptor activity were caused solely by the medications used.</p>
<p>The paper, “<a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.08.009">Effect of Antidepressant Treatment on 5-HT4 Receptor Binding and Associations With Clinical Outcomes and Verbal Memory in Major Depressive Disorder,</a>” was authored by Vibeke H. Dam, Kristin Köhler-Forsberg, Brice Ozenne, Søren V. Larsen, Cheng-Teng Ip, Anders Jorgensen, Dea S. Stenbæk, Jacob Madsen, Claus Svarer, Martin B. Jørgensen, Gitte M. Knudsen, and Vibe G. Frokjaer.</p></p>
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<td><a href="https://www.psypost.org/loneliness-and-social-isolation-linked-to-disease-via-specific-proteins-research-finds/" style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; letter-spacing:-1px;margin:0;padding:0 0 2px;font-weight: bold;font-size: 19px;line-height: 20px;color:#222;">Loneliness and social isolation linked to disease via specific proteins, research finds</a>
<div style="font-family:Helvetica, sans-serif; text-align:left;color:#999;font-size:11px;font-weight:bold;line-height:15px;">Feb 20th 2025, 10:00</div>
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<p><p>Human beings are inherently social. We thrive on connection, communication and shared experiences, which help shape our identities and foster a sense of belonging. Yet, in an increasingly digital and fast-paced world, feelings of loneliness and social isolation have become alarmingly common.</p>
<p>The World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that these feelings are widespread. About 25% of older people <a href="https://www.who.int/groups/commission-on-social-connection#:~:text=People%20across%20all%20age%20groups,cent%20of%20adolescents%20experience%20loneliness">experience social isolation</a> and 5%-15% of adolescents feel lonely.</p>
<p>These figures are important since published studies have demonstrated that social isolation and loneliness are linked to increased risk of disease and death. Indeed, our own study, <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35676089/">published in 2022</a>, found that social isolation in older people carried a 26% increased risk of developing dementia. We also found that loneliness was associated with depression.</p>
<p>We wanted to follow up our previous study by understanding the underlying biological processes behind this link between social isolation and loneliness and health. Why is loneliness so bad for our bodies and minds?</p>
<h2>Exploring proteins</h2>
<p>We focused on proteomics, the study of proteins. This is because we know that proteins play a role in gene expression, the process by which the information encoded in a gene is turned into biological activity. Proteins are also a major source of drug targets for developing medications.</p>
<p>In this collaborative study between the University of Cambridge and Fudan University, published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41562-024-02078-1">Nature Human Behaviour</a>, we used data from 42,062 participants from the UK Biobank and studied 2,920 plasma proteins.</p>
<p>We investigated the association between proteins and self-reported loneliness and social isolation. We discovered that the proteins found to be significantly associated with loneliness and social isolation are also known to be implicated in inflammation as well as antiviral and immune responses.</p>
<p>In particular, our study suggested that loneliness may lead to an increase in the levels of five specific proteins expressed in the brain (known as GFRA1, ADM, FABP4, TNFRSF10A and ASGR1). In other words, all the proteins we identified as related to loneliness were “positively associated”, meaning that people who feel lonely tend to have higher protein levels compared to those who do not feel lonely.</p>
<p>We also studied data that tracked the health of our participants for about 14 years. This found that more than half of the proteins were linked to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and death.</p>
<p>Based on our findings, having good social relationships and not feeling lonely may promote health by reducing the levels of certain harmful proteins. However, proteins may only partly explain the link between loneliness and health. Other potential pathways, such as social stress, may also play a role.</p>
<p>To our knowledge, this may be the first demonstration of how loneliness affects morbidity and mortality through its association with these five key proteins.</p>
<h2>Societal impacts</h2>
<p>Social isolation and loneliness affect all ages and genders and leads to major mental and physical health problems. This study helps to understand how this happens on a biological level.</p>
<p>It demonstrates how important it is to connect with others through social activities, for example volunteering or team sport. This can reduce the effects of social isolation and loneliness on the underlying biological processes important for health outcomes.</p>
<p>While technology offers new ways to stay in touch, it can sometimes lead to superficial connections that leave us feeling more disconnected than ever. This paradox — being surrounded by digital interactions yet feeling profoundly alone — underscores the importance of deep, meaningful social connections.</p>
<p>Face-to-face social interactions where you also experience non-verbal communication often fosters better connections. Indeed one study showed that partners communicating face-to-face <a href="https://liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/sites/liberalarts.oregonstate.edu/files/psychology/research/okdie_guadagno_bernieri_geers_mclarney-vesotski_2011.pdf">had more positive impressions</a> than people interacting via a computer.</p>
<p>Social interactions are ultimately essential for our wellbeing, boosting both physical and mental health. Social connections reduce stress, lower blood pressure and support immune function. They also enhance cognitive health and improve brain health. In addition, they can foster empathy and understanding, strengthening our minds and providing emotional resilience.</p>
<p>Clearly, to foster a flourishing society we need to build meaningful connections with one another.<!-- Below is The Conversation's page counter tag. Please DO NOT REMOVE. --><img decoding="async" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/245416/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1"><!-- End of code. If you don't see any code above, please get new code from the Advanced tab after you click the republish button. The page counter does not collect any personal data. More info: https://theconversation.com/republishing-guidelines --></p>
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<p><em>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/loneliness-and-social-isolation-are-linked-to-specific-proteins-new-research-245416">original article</a>.</em></p></p>
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<p><strong>Forwarded by:<br />
Michael Reeder LCPC<br />
Baltimore, MD</strong></p>
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