Loneliness in the Brain and Strategies to Treat it
What is loneliness? Is it the inability to seamlessly fit into a social stratum, or is it something more? Like disconnection from something desirable. Is it disconnection from oneself? Is it the inability to express an aching sensation and believing nobody else can see how far the tunnel goes? Why is it that loneliness sometimes subsides when watching leaves stir yet can be amplified in social settings?
That is because loneliness rests heavily on self-perception. Loneliness creates a lack of relatability toward our desired associations and amplifies the missing desire. Can we then alter what we desire, expand self-perception, or increase relatability across broad narratives to decrease loneliness? Indeed we can! But first, let us look at how loneliness affects the brain.
The Brain When it is Lonely
Despite how introverted one might be, humans are a social species. In our mind, we have deep-rooted networks that are significantly alighted when socializing, having meaningful conversations, and connecting with others. Our brain has many neural pathways associated with navigating this space. It is no surprise, then, that by chronically isolating ourselves from others and not finding our sense of self, we may heighten or weaken such connections in ways that might harm our well-being. We can see this effect most clearly in the default mode network.
The default mode network (DMN) is a series of interconnections within the brain that are active when we are not tuned in to the outside world but instead focused on our internal mental state (Ekhtiari et al., 2016), such as relating information to the self, interoception, and future planning. It can include thought processes like spacing off, daydreaming, thinking of the past, future, oneself, or actively being present. In other words, by not engaging in externally oriented tasks, scientists can look at the brain using an fMRI to see what brain regions are active in resting subjects. By visually visiting such areas, we can begin to sketch which interconnections are pivotal for internal cognition and, more so, map the differences in individual interest, intellect, and even illness related to the activation or suppression of these interconnections.
Let us look closer at the DMN and what brain structures are part of this network. Although it may be monotonous or boring, this understanding is important for later understanding what application may be beneficial for overcoming loneliness.
Medial prefrontal cortex: located at the front of the brain, this structure is vital for cognitive functions and is important in human social cognition and behavior. Damage to this MPC can blunt emotional responses and affect long-term planning and impulse inhibition. People with depression, anxiety, ADHD, Schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder often exhibit dysfunction in this area.
Posterior cingulate cortex: part of the limbic system, the PCC is considered the central node of the Default mode network. This structure is like an electric generator, which receives input, and its role is to interpret and communicate that input across various brain regions. Decreases in metabolism or inactivity in the PCC are found in early Alzheimer’s disease, which further suggests that this disease manifests as degraded external and internal perception.
Inferior parietal Lobe: this structure nested between the visual, auditory, and sensing cortices is often attributed as an area that defines human interactions. It involves emotional perception (affecting language and body image) and interpretation of sensory (space and object) perception to guide and orient specific hand movements. Damage in the IPL can impair sensation, coordination, attention, and response to important events.
Middle temporal Lobe: the MTL includes brain structures such as the hippocampus, amygdala, and parahippocampal regions. These brain structures work harmoniously to bridge the gap between external events and internal acquisition and consolidation. Such functions include memory, emotions, recognition, and perception. Damage to these regions can impair new learning (anterograde amnesia) and recollection of old memories (retrograde amnesia).
Precuneus: part of the parietal lobe, the precuneus plays an essential role in many forms of social interaction, such as violation of social expectation, perspective taking, delineation of human to non-human interaction, and self-related processes and awareness. These roles combine to construct many complex and beautiful functions, including integrating information and environmental perception. Impairment in this area can lead to conscious disorders (levels of awareness and wakefulness), self-processing impairment (integration of the self), visual-spatial disorders (sense of direction, size, and time), and loss of somatic memories (knowledge accumulated throughout life).
The Brain When it is Lonely Part 2
You may wonder, what does this all have to do with loneliness? Well, by looking at the DMN of a person who considers themselves to be lonely, scientists can outline which brain regions are associated with higher and lower activity compared to someone who is not lonely. Moreover, by recognizing these regions and their interconnection, we can implement strategies to consolidate a healthy DMN and decrease loneliness.
One study published in the scientific reports found that lonely young adults had higher activity between the inferior frontal gyrus (part of the prefrontal cortex) and supplementary motor areas (part of the medial prefrontal cortex), precentral gyrus (part of the frontal lobe), and superior parietal lobe (which includes the precuneus). At the same time, lower activity was observed between the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and the temporoparietal junction, a region that contains the inferior parietal lobe (Brilliant et al., 2022). Blah, blah, blah, what does this all mean?
Hyperconnectivity between regions such as the inferior frontal gyrus and the supplementary motor areas is believed to underlie something called implicit hypervigilance in lonely people (Hawkley et al., 2013). And no, this is not hypervigilance in terms of empathy, inclusion, or understanding but perceiving the social environment as a threat. this makes sense because loneliness is not about being alone. Rather loneliness is a heightened feeling that manifests as being different or immiscible from what is occupying one's attention, like being surrounded by a thick fog that one can’t escape.
It is no surprise that certain brain regions implicated in anxiety, including speech, language, and complex motor functioning, can also be present in many lonely people. It is important to be aware of this because heightened functionality in these structures can result in overdrive in our perceptive experience instead of being relaxed, calm, tranquil, and satisfied.
Conversely, some brain regions are underactive or have lower functional connectivity in lonely people, such as the interconnection between the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex and temporoparietal junction. These regions have strong ties to social impressions, processing the sense of self, empathy, morality judgments, and even the capacity to understand other people by demarcating the mental state of others, such as beliefs, intents, and desires, from ours (theory of mind). Lower connectivity between these regions can manifest as having blunted or lower emotional response, affecting social relatability, social initiation, and even social cognition. It is no surprise that by not socializing or by not finding tremendous value in socializing, we can have lower activity in these structures. Moreover, once we have lower activity, it can alter our perception and provide further negative reinforcement that how we view ourselves, people, and the world is correct when it is a product of our lonely state.
When we feel lonely, it is important to recognize the stimuli causing us to feel this way. For many, it is the feeling that they are not seen, cannot express themselves, and cannot make true friends. Instead of trying to satisfy this stimulus, allow yourself not to be obsessive over pursuing these stimuli. That is not to say, do not try to make friends, do not try to express yourself, etc., but alter your perception to be satisfied without having to chase these impulses. In this way, by teaching yourself to break free from external pressures causing loneliness by introducing something in its place, you become unencumbered and walk through varying stages of life without carrying this baggage. But what exactly is this vague notion of introducing something in its place?
Simply put, loneliness is a neurophysiological phenomenon meaning something in the brain is causing this feeling of loneliness. If we know what these circuitries are and can target them, we can rewire the brain not to feel lonely. That said, the continuation of this article will be dedicated to what strategies and tools one can implement that positively target these brain circuitries to reduce the sensation of loneliness.
Mindful Meditation
I know, I know, mindful meditation? Bear with me. As previously discussed, the DMN is closely integrated into the sense of self, our emotions, and how we passively merge the external environment into our introspective narrative. When the DMN is activated, a cascade of internal networks fire, setting signals throughout the brain. These signals are like many variations of a single color merging to make a unique array of reds or networks. However, what if red is not the color being expressed, but with every new variation, green is constantly introduced? Eventually, what was previously red will also be clouded with shades of green and brown, painting an internal portrait much different from the intended arrangement.
When practicing meditation, we are practicing large-scale dissociation from the external environment, which is largely the source of this color imbalance. To better understand why this practice is beneficial for loneliness, let us first touch on the five major steps of a specific type of meditation called mindful meditation:
1) large scale-disassociation.
2) Mindful orientation on one thing (such as the breath).
3) Awareness of shifts in attention and focus.
4) Learning to understand subtle shifts in awareness and mood and developing the skill to let go.
5) Reorientation or recalibration of focus for when it wanders.
These steps work congruently to help achieve awareness in practice and the natural world: to recognize and understand why we might be feeling the way we do and how to lightly let go, through acceptance. And whether it is this idea of letting go, disassociation, attention orientation, or a combination of the three, fMRI scans show reduced activity in the default mode network compared to the passive individual. And in particular, a study published in the CABN shows lowered activity (not loss of functional connectivity) in the precuneus and the posterior and anterior cingulate when meditating (Garrison et al., 2015). Moreover, meditation practice has been shown to increase the brain’s grey matter volume (significant for movement, memory, and emotions), white matter integrity (important for nerve signaling) (Travis, 2020), and an increase in neuroplasticity, which is the capacity for brain regions to communicate with one another (Lardone et al., 2018).
Generally speaking, this means that through deliberate meditation practice, we can reorient our default mode network, increase neuronal integrity and, as a result, improve mood, memory, and a healthier and more balanced relationship with oneself.
Aerobic Exercise
Aerobic exercise includes running, swimming, biking, or whatever other activity keeps you in the aerobic zone 70-80% of your maximum heart rate. You can loosely determine your maximum heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For example, if you are thirty years old, your maximum heart rate is 190 (220-30=190). Then multiply 190 by 0.7, then by 0.8, and your range is between 133-152 BPM. If you do not have a device that can show your heart rate in real-time, then at the end of your workout, find your pulse count x amount of beats per 10 seconds, then multiply by 6. (If x = 25, then multiply six by 25). If your heart rate is lower or higher, adjust it according to the intensity of the workout. Eventually, you will get accustomed to recognizing the speed of your heart. Moreover, If you are unconditioned, then feel free to start with a 10-minute training session and adjust according to your fitness level. The goal is to complete a 20-40 minute session.
Aerobic exercise carries many benefits, from improving heart function, chronic pain, nutrient absorption, and immunity, and it has robust implications for brain health and mood.
For instance, a meta-analysis published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that aerobic exercise alters the structure and function of the DMN in adults (Li et al., 2016). Such structures include:
Overall higher hippocampal volume: this has implications for spatial awareness and memory and plays a vital role in flexible cognition, from exploration to creativity and social bonding to empathy.
A reduction in atrophy in the medial temporal lobe: includes the hippocampus and the amygdala, which is the brain's main structure for processing fear and threatening stimuli along with emotions.
Slow volume loss in the anterior cingulate cortex: the ACC has many functions, some of which include cognitive control but also has strong connections to emotional regulation, both through painful stimuli and observing others in pain.
Improve functional connectivity in the hippocampus, cingulate cortex, and parahippocampal gyrus regions of the DMN: increased communication throughout brain regions has many benefits associated with various functions. One such function is the regulation of neuromodulators. Healthy neuromodulator expression can decrease depression, anxiety, and loneliness. Aerobic exercise can improve emotional dysregulation and thus positively affect the perception of loneliness.
Psilocybin Therapy
When we think of psilocybin, we usually think of psychedelics and hallucinations. We imagine someone running away from something that is not there, someone walking around and talking with themselves. However, this is a misapprehension of how psilocybin works and the therapeutic power of mushrooms.
Initially, upon taking mushrooms, there is a decrease in activity in the DMN across an extensive range of structures (Lowe et al., 2021). As a result of this decrease in noise, the mushroom opens the door to unfettered hyper-therapeutic introspection, meaning if you are going through something, whether it is depression, PTSD, addiction, or anxiety disorder, the ingestion of this drug will likely force you to confront this issue. The same holds for loneliness or other negative emotions you may be feeling. It is important to note that opening this door can sometimes be stressful, so it is advised to take mushrooms in a safe place under the supervision of a psychotherapist.
Anyways, it is believed that the mystical-type experience paired with the mechanism of action (or alteration) is what leads to persisting positive benefits (Canal, 2019). Such effects include increased altruism, enhanced connectedness, reduced suicidal ideation, prosocial behavior, decreased anxiety and depression, increased well-being, and enhanced personal meaningfulness (Lowe et al., 2021). And yes, these benefits were all recorded in scientific papers.
To that end, psilocybin is perhaps the best immediate strategy for treating loneliness; however, it is illegal in many places. The legal methods of taking this drug include psychedelic-assisted therapy, clinical trials, going on a retreat, or looking up the current law for your state or region regarding foraging or cultivating mushrooms for use. Above all else, if you decide to take mushrooms, stay safe, and treat it as a therapeutic session.
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