Social Isolation, Loneliness and Generalized Anxiety: Implications and Associations during the COVID-19 Quarantine

Brain Sciences

Roger S. McIntyre¹  Nelson B. Rodrigues¹  Ashley Siegel¹  Linas Wilkialis¹  Danielle S. Cha¹  Kayla Teopiz¹  Jocelyn K. Tamura¹  Amna Majeed¹  Leanna M. W. Lui¹  Barjot Gill¹ 

[1] Mood Disorders Psychopharmacology Unit, University Health Network, Toronto, ON M5T 2S8, Canada;

关键词: COVID-19 pandemic;    implications;    social isolation;    loneliness;    mechanism;    solutions;   

DOI  :  10.3390/brainsci11121620

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a predominantly global quarantine response that has been associated with social isolation, loneliness, and anxiety. The foregoing experiences have been amply documented to have profound impacts on health, morbidity, and mortality. This narrative review uses the extant neurobiological and theoretical literature to explore the association between social isolation, loneliness, and anxiety in the context of quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic. Emerging evidence suggests that distinct health issues (e.g., a sedentary lifestyle, a diminished overall sense of well-being) are associated with social isolation and loneliness. The health implications of social isolation and loneliness during quarantine have a heterogenous and comorbid nature and, as a result, form a link to anxiety. The limbic system plays a role in fear and anxiety response; the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, amygdala, HPA axis, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, insula, and locus coeruleus have an impact in a prolonged anxious state. In the conclusion, possible solutions are considered and remarks are made on future areas of exploration.

【 授权许可】

Unknown