Loneliness — often dismissed as a purely emotional condition — actually impairs the body's ability to heal physical wounds, according to new research.
Researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC) analyzed patients with chronic wounds and found that those who reported higher levels of loneliness showed markedly increased activity in inflammation-related genes, medical sources said Monday. The study was published in the latest issue of the international journal *Advances in Skin & Wound Care*.
The human body normally activates an inflammatory response when a wound occurs to aid recovery, then gradually suppresses that response as healing progresses to maintain balance. However, the study found that this regulatory mechanism did not function properly in patients who perceived strong feelings of loneliness. Inflammatory responses persisted continuously, slowing the pace of recovery.
The research team assessed loneliness levels through questionnaires among patients whose wounds had not healed for four weeks or longer, and compared gene expression through blood analysis. The results confirmed that expression levels of 18 inflammation-related genes were significantly elevated in the high-loneliness group.
Analysts attribute this to loneliness causing the body to perceive itself as being in a "threat situation," going beyond a simple psychological state. The sustained "fight-or-flight" response disrupts the immune system's balance and ultimately delays the wound healing process.
The study is particularly significant in that it used a "social genomics" framework to explain why healing speeds differ even when external conditions such as nutrition, hygiene and sunlight exposure are identical. The quality of relationships an individual perceives and the degree of loneliness had a greater impact than simply whether many people were present around the patient, according to the analysis.
Teresa Kelechi, the professor who led the research, emphasized the need to change future treatment approaches. She noted that wound care has limitations if it remains confined to physical treatment alone, and that patients' psychological states and social connections must also be managed.
The research team plans to conduct additional clinical studies to determine whether applying cognitive behavioral therapy to alleviate loneliness actually reduces inflammatory gene activity.
