A’medicine to cure loneliness’ is being developed

After 75 years of research by a research team at Harvard University to find out what makes people happy, they found out that the most important thing is, after all, more social relationships than money. It is said that loneliness kills people. As a way to solve the social problem of loneliness is being sought, a professor of social neuroscience is said to be developing a medicine to cure loneliness.

Professor Stephanie Cacioppo, who is doing social neuroscience research at the University of Chicago, is one of the researchers developing a treatment for loneliness. He conducted an experiment in 96 people who were physically healthy but felt lonesome to consume 400 mg of the hormone pregnenolone. Pregnenolone, produced by the adrenal glands, is known to be associated with increased memory and increased stress.

The purpose of the study is to standardize pregnenolone levels and measure their effectiveness. His hypothesis is that pregnenolone levels can be standardized to reduce the fear of a lonely person. He said that loneliness, like thirst, is to let people know what their body needs. The purpose of the study is that loneliness cannot be eradicated, but he believes that it is possible to improve relationships with others through drugs.

Loneliness always follows the person. Imagine driving on a winter day with bad visibility. It is said that medicine is all about removing window frosts to scared people and letting them know what’s ahead.

In recent years, loneliness has become a social issue. The cause is believed to be attributable to demographic or cultural or technological changes. In a survey of 20,000 Americans released in 2018, it was found that half of the survey subjects felt alienated and felt alone. Solitude not only poses a risk factor for circulatory disease and stroke, but also weakens the immune system, increasing the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. Not only does it adversely affect sleeping habits, but it is known that people who feel lonely have a 30% higher risk of premature death than those who do not feel lonely.

The fact that loneliness is a risk factor for premature death, also joined by Professor Julian Holt-Lunstad, a Brigham Young University psychologist, says it is worthwhile to develop a new drug that addresses brain problems that exacerbate loneliness. However, we are concerned that the drug we developed will be sold without doctor or expert advice and will be overused. He also points out that it is important that social relations with others be regarded as one of healthy lifestyles such as proper diet or exercise. Professor Casiopo agrees and says that medication should be combined with exercise therapy routinely performed while having a relationship with others. Related information can be found here .