- Researchers investigated the effects of social isolation on bone loss in mice.
- They found that social isolation was associated with increased bone loss in male, but not female, mice.
- Further studies are needed to understand whether the same happens in humans.
Social isolation is linked to worse health outcomes, including increased all-cause mortality, cardiovascular problems, and mental health conditions.
Previous research has also shown that psychological stress is a
Social isolation, closely linked to loneliness, may
Recently, researchers investigated how social isolation affects bone health in male and female mice. They found that social isolation was associated with bone loss in male, but not female, mice.
The study was presented at ENDO 2023, the Endocrine Society’s annual meeting in Chicago.
Medical News Today spoke with Dr. Nahid Rianon, an assistant professor of geriatrics with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, not involved in the study, about the findings.
“This study reports an important finding in animals. A translational study to see findings in humans, especially in older adults who often suffer from social isolation would be important to understand if risk of bone loss is higher in this vulnerable group. Identifying people at risk is the first step to prevent a health problem like bone loss that may lead to fracture and disability,” she told us.
Dr. Rebecca Mountain, a postdoctoral fellow at the Center for Molecular Medicine at MaineHealth Institute for Research, lead author of the study, also told MNT:
“[The findings] may also have clinical implications as we grapple with the long-term health impacts of the rise in social isolation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, although future studies are needed to understand the effects in humans.”
For the study, the researchers split 32…
Read the full article here