Social Isolation Disrupts Autonomic Regulation of the Heart and Influences Negative Affective Behaviors

Grippo, Angela J.; Lamb, Damon G.; Carter, C. Sue; Porges, Stephen W.

doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2007.04.011

Cited by 156 publications

(189 citation statements)

References 67 publications

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“…To determine how later experience affects prairie vole offspring that were exposed to social or ecological disturbances, we isolated half of them and examined their behavior and hippocampal dendritic morphology in adulthood. Our behavioral results were consistent with past research showing that chronic isolation activates the subjects' sympathetic drive and enhances their anxiety and depression-like behaviors (Grippo et al, 2007;Ruscio et al, 2009). Our subjects showed signs of increased emotionality in presence of a social stimulus within the open-field arena and the male's mobilization to the center for investigating a conspecific was diminished following isolation.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Socio-Ecological Disruptions at Critical Periods During Development Alter Stress Responses and Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology of Prairie Voles: Implications for Social Monogamy

et al. 2018

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Emotions are often associated with the evolution of monogamy. For example, fear of cuckoldry has been recently proposed as the driving force for human monogamy. We used prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) as a model of human behavior to study how stress reactivity is shaped by socio-ecological disruptions experienced as neonates and as subadults. We hypothesized that social disruptions would have a greater impact on the vole's stress levels than ecological disruptions, and that females would be more susceptible to the experience than males. At 6 days postpartum, the housing conditions were manipulated to have offspring raised by: (1) both parents under a protective cover (NoDisrupt); (2) Both parents uncovered (EcoDisrupt); (3) Mother alone covered (SocDisrupt); (4) Mother alone uncovered (SocEcoDisrupt). To experience disruptions as subadults, offspring were weaned then housed either alone (Isolate) or with a same-sex sibling (Social). As adults, each offspring was placed in an open-field arena and tested over 3 consecutive days to measure its behavior in response to an empty space (Day1), a same-sex vole in a container (Day2), and an empty container (Day3). The brain of a subgroup of subjects was processed for Golgi staining to assess the impact of disruptions on hippocampal dendritic morphology in adulthood. Males that experienced social disruption in early life displayed lower stress levels on Day2 of testing than males and females in other groups. This effect was only evident in males that did not experience social disruptions as subadults. Socio-ecological disruptions at postpartum had an unanticipated impact on the hippocampus of the voles. The apical dendrites of the CA3 neurons in male and female voles that experienced either social or ecological disruptions in early life and remained socially isolated as subadults were longer than those in undisturbed voles. Our results suggest that social disruptions experienced in early life modulate the male's stress-related behaviors and may thus influence his monogamous tendencies. Exposure to disruptions may also impact the memory circuits of the brain that monogamous animals use to make mating decisions.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Socio-Ecological Disruptions at Critical Periods During Development Alter Stress Responses and Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology of Prairie Voles: Implications for Social Monogamy

et al. 2018

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“…2011; Normansell & Panksepp 2011), cardiovascular disease (Grippo et al. 2007a), neuroendocrine disruptions (Grippo et al. 2007b), suppressed immune responses (Scotti et al.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Behavioural and Hormonal Stress Responses to Social Separation in Ravens, Corvus corax

et al. 2016

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Social life is profitable, but it facilitates conflicts over resources and creates interdependence between individuals. Separating highly social animals triggers intense reactions aimed at re‐establishing lost connections. Less is known, however, about behavioural and physiological responses to separation in socially facultative species, where individuals temporarily form groups and may subsequently leave them. Non‐breeding common ravens (Corvus corax) gather in large numbers at feeding and roosting sites, but otherwise spend time seemingly solitary or in small subgroups. We here studied how ravens cope with being socially isolated, and investigated the life characteristics that might explain potential individual differences. For this, we individually separated captive subadult ravens (n = 25) and housed them in physical and visual isolation from their group members across 4 d. During the separation period, we collected behavioural data and measured the amount of immunoreactive corticosterone metabolites from bird droppings to assess the ravens’ physiological stress response. We found behavioural indicators of stress at the start of the separation, when ravens showed higher levels of tension than of comfort – a pattern that reversed at the end of the separation. Furthermore, we found that the upbringing of ravens affected their behaviour during separation. Hand‐raised birds produced more vocalisations in the beginning of the separation, and were less active at the end, while the reverse pattern occurred with parent‐raised ravens. Contrary to our predictions, we did not find differences in hormonal responses between the beginning and end of the separation period or any link between hormonal responses and behaviours. Ravens’ behavioural responses to social separation stress seem to be dependent on their arousal states, although possible links with hormonal reactions remain unclear. Our results show that behavioural reactions are not always linked with hormonal responses to stress, and further emphasise the importance of investigating effects of early‐life experiences.

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“…Evidence from animal research indicates that social isolation may be related to reduced HRV [35]. In a sample of healthy women, Horsten et al [36] showed that social isolation and low social support were associated with decreased HRV.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Marital Status and Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Suspected Coronary Artery Disease

2009

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Social Isolation Disrupts Autonomic Regulation of the Heart and Influences Negative Affective Behaviors

Cited by 156 publications

References 67 publications

Socio-Ecological Disruptions at Critical Periods During Development Alter Stress Responses and Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology of Prairie Voles: Implications for Social Monogamy

Socio-Ecological Disruptions at Critical Periods During Development Alter Stress Responses and Hippocampal Dendritic Morphology of Prairie Voles: Implications for Social Monogamy

Behavioural and Hormonal Stress Responses to Social Separation in Ravens, Corvus corax

Marital Status and Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Suspected Coronary Artery Disease

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