The DOI matches its Crossref record; 96 of the 96 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Loneliness Across Phylogeny and a Call for Comparative Studies and Animal Models
Open accessAbstract
Loneliness typically refers to the feelings of distress and dysphoria resulting from a discrepancy between a person’s desired and achieved levels of social relations, and there is now considerable evidence that loneliness is a risk factor for poor psychological and physical health. Loneliness has traditionally been conceptualized as a uniquely human phenomenon. However, over millions of years of evolution, efficient and manifold neural, hormonal, and molecular mechanisms have evolved for promoting companionship and mutual protection/assistance and for organizing adaptive responses when there is a significant discrepancy between the preferred and realized levels of social connection. We review evidence suggesting that loneliness is not a uniquely human phenomenon, but, instead, as a scientific construct, it represents a generally adaptive predisposition that can be found across phylogeny. Central to this argument is the premise that the brain is the key organ of social connections and processes. Comparative studies and animal models, particularly when integrated with human studies, have much to contribute to the understanding of loneliness and its underlying principles, mechanisms, consequences, and potential treatments.
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“Health behaviors and physiologic mechanisms are likely, in part, responsible for the negative health outcomes associated with social isolation and loneliness [31–34].”
From Examining social isolation and loneliness in combination in relation to social support and psychological distress using Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA) data (2020) · cites this paper as [31]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“as well as physiologic responses, including increased blood pressure and heightened inflammatory reactivity to stress [30–34].”
From Examining social isolation and loneliness in combination in relation to social support and psychological distress using Canadian Longitudinal Study of Aging (CLSA) data (2020) · cites this paper as [31]
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“Therefore, an emerging social neuroscience model posits that evolutionarily conserved neurophysiological mechanisms underlie the adaptive, short-term, self-preservation mode triggered by a lack of social connections/mutual protection14,31.”
From Neural mechanisms of social homeostasis (2019) · cites this paper as [14]
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“Small sample sizes and underpowered studies, coupled with an emphasis on null hypothesis testing, likely have contributed to some of these inconsistencies (see Button et al., 2013).”
Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691614568352 · Cited by 6,043
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Self-citationPerceived social isolation and cognition
Cacioppo, J. T., & Hawkley, L. C. (2009) · Trends in Cognitive Sciences · doi:10.1016/j.tics.2009.06.005 · Cited by 2,144
Self-citationLoneliness: A Source Book of Current Theory, Research and Therapy
Blazer, D. G. (1983) · Journal of Gerontology · doi:10.1093/geronj/38.4.492 · Cited by 2,139
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Sorted by citations
Loneliness and Social Isolation as Risk Factors for Mortality: A Meta-Analytic Review
Holt-Lunstad, J., Smith, T. B., Baker, M., Harris, T., & Stephenson, D. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691614568352 · Cited by 6,043
Loneliness: clinical import and interventions
Cacioppo, S., Grippo, A. J., London, S., Goossens, L., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691615570616 · Cited by 1,206
Self-citationLoneliness Across the Life Span
Qualter, P., Vanhalst, J., Harris, R., Van Roekel, E., Lodder, G., Bangee, M., Maes, M., & Verhagen, M. (2015) · Perspectives on Psychological Science · doi:10.1177/1745691615568999 · Cited by 1,080
Loneliness and health in older adults: a mini-review and synthesis
Ong, A. D., Uchino, B. N., & Wethington, E. (2016) · Gerontology · doi:10.1159/000441651 · Cited by 868
Toward a neurology of loneliness
Cacioppo, S., Capitanio, J. P., & Cacioppo, J. T. (2014) · Psychological Bulletin · doi:10.1037/a0037618 · Cited by 623
Self-citation
Metadata
- Authors
- Cacioppo, J. T., Cacioppo, S., Cole, S. W., Capitanio, J. P., Goossens, L., & Boomsma, D. I.
- Affiliations
- University of Chicago (US)
- David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles
- University of California, Davis (US)
- KU Leuven (BE)
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (NL)
- Venue
- Perspectives on Psychological Science
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2015-03
- Volume
- 10
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 202-212
- ISSN
- 1745-6916 (ISSN-L)
- 1745-6924
- PMC
- PMC5090712
- OpenAlex
- W2105989054
- Cited by
- 241
- References
- 96
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 22 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 19 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 14 · 2019: 36 · 2018: 18 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 17
- FWCI
- 24.85
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- Perspectives on Psychological Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- VU Research Portal (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Lirias (submittedVersion, other-oa)
- Data Archiving and Networked Services (DANS) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institutes of Health (P51OD011107)
- National Institute on Aging (R37AG033590)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Death Anxiety and Social Exclusion
- Keywords
- loneliness, social connectedness, social behavior, brain and social behavior
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Humans, Loneliness
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