How social isolation may increase stress
New York, May 18: Researchers have found that long term chronic isolation cause the build-up of a chemical in the brain, that increases stress, aggression and fear.
The mice isolated for two weeks showed behavioural changes like, increased aggressiveness towards unfamiliar mice, persistent fear, and hypersensitivity to threatening stimuli.
When encountering a threatening stimulus, mice that have been socially isolated remain frozen in place long after the threat has passed, whereas normal mice stop freezing soon after the threat is removed, the research said.
Although the study was done in mice, it has potential implications for understanding how chronic stress affects humans and has potential applications for treating mental health disorders, said lead author Moriel Zelikowsky, postdoctoral scholar at the California Institute of Technology in the US.
Previous studies have determined that social isolation for two weeks in mice resulted in the upregulation of the signalling molecule neuropeptide, tachykinin 2 (Tac2)/neurokinin B (NkB) -- a short protein molecule.
In the new study, published in the journal Cell, the team found that chronic isolation leads to an increase in Tac2 gene expression and the production of a neuropeptide called neurokinin B (NkB) throughout the brain.
But, administration of a drug that chemically blocks NkB-specific receptors enabled the stressed mice to behave normally, eliminating the negative effects of social isolation.
On the other hand, artificially increasing Tac2 levels and activating the corresponding neurons in normal, animals led them to behave like isolated and stressed, the research showed.
Suppressing the Tac2 gene in certain different brain parts, increased fear behaviours, or aggression accordingly, implying that it must increase in different brain regions to produce the various effects of social isolation, the researchers said.
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Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar occupies CM's suite at new Karnataka Bhavan
New Delhi: Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar has occupied the exclusive CM’s suite accommodation at the new Karnataka Bhavan in Delhi’s upscale Chanakyapuri area, stirring speculation in political circles regarding changes in the state’s Congress leadership.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah had briefly occupied the suite during a previous visit to the national capital but later shifted to the CM’s suite in the Annexe building of Karnataka Bhavan, reportedly citing lack of ventilation in the new facility.
Sources quoted by Deccan Herald said that Shivakumar requested Siddaramaiah to allow him to use the suite since it was lying vacant, and the Chief Minister agreed.
Reacting to the buzz, Shivakumar told reporters there was no need to read into the matter. “The Chief Minister’s post is not vacant and there is no need to discuss such issues now,” he said.
Amid ongoing speculations of a possible leadership change in the state, Congress general secretary (Karnataka in-charge) Randeep Surjewala held meetings with party MLAs to gauge their views on current political developments in the state.
Shivakumar mentioned that Surjewala would soon hold a joint meeting with both him and the Chief Minister to discuss ongoing political affairs in Karnataka. However, he refused to disclose further details about the proposed meeting.
