Social Isolation and Brain Development

Neuroscientists have long understood the impact that social isolation in childhood has on brain development. For example, previous research has shown that socially isolated children are more likely to struggle with educational achievement, have difficulty making meaningful connections with others, and experience psychological distress in adulthood. While the brain is malleable and continues to mature until the mid-twenties, most neural connections are established by adolescence. We know that social relationships play a significant role in the development of our brains and the shaping of social behavior: How we feel, think, and behave with others.

Now, a new study has added to our understanding of the impact social isolation has on brain development, especially when it comes to habit-based behaviors. Researchers at Emory University set out to investigate how isolation during the adolescent years, a critical period in brain development, affects neurobehaviors later in life. By isolating rodents during their adolescence, the researchers were able to link early-life adversities to long-term habit-forming behaviors, even in lieu of more adaptive goal-oriented behaviors. They also learned that these early hardships have deep roots in brain functioning, which makes interventions, like social reintegration in adulthood, difficult to correct. This study is an important discovery for the mental health field since it reinforces the need for early intervention strategies.

Hinton, EA., Li, DC., Allen, AG. & Gourley, S.L. (2019). Social isolation in adolescence disrupts cortical development and goal-dependent decision-making in adulthood, despite social reintegration. eNeuro, 23, 6(5).