Positive social relations, loneliness, and immune system gene regulation

Abstract

Perceived isolation (i.e., loneliness) has been linked to an immune response gene profile known as the conserved transcriptional response to adversity (CTRA), but little is known about how positive social relations might affect human genome function. We analyzed two studies of Korean adults to determine whether the positive qualities of an individual's general social relations with others (warmth, satisfaction, and trust; as measured by the Positive Relations with Others [PRWO] subscale of the The Ryff Scales of Psychological Well-being) might be inversely associated with CTRA gene expression. In Study 1 (53 participants, mean age = 72 years, 47% female), PRWO were significantly associated with reduced CTRA profiles, even after controlling for loneliness. Similarly, in Study 2 (152 participants, mean age = 45 years, 50% female), PRWO were significantly associated with reduced CTRA profiles, particularly in the context of higher collectivism. These findings suggest that gene regulatory correlates of social flourishing extend beyond the absence of loneliness, and may contribute to health advantages associated with social well-being. Loneliness and social flourishing may not simply represent opposite ends of a single continuum but rather function as related yet distinct processes affecting human molecular well-being.