Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Nat Neurosci. 2012 Apr 15;15(5):669-74. doi: 10.1038/nn.3086.
Although considerable research has shown the importance of social connection for physical health, little is known about the higher-level neurocognitive processes that link experiences of social connection or disconnection with health-relevant physiological responses. Here we review the key physiological systems implicated in the link between social ties and health and the neural mechanisms that may translate social experiences into downstream health-relevant physiological responses. Specifically, we suggest that threats to social connection may tap into the same neural and physiological 'alarm system' that responds to other critical survival threats, such as the threat or experience of physical harm. Similarly, experiences of social connection may tap into basic reward-related mechanisms that have inhibitory relationships with threat-related responding. Indeed, the neurocognitive correlates of social disconnection and connection may be important mediators for understanding the relationships between social ties and health.
尽管大量研究表明社会联系对身体健康很重要，但对于将社会联系或脱节的体验与与健康相关的生理反应联系起来的高级神经认知过程知之甚少。在这里，我们回顾了与社会关系和健康之间联系相关的关键生理系统，以及可能将社会经验转化为下游与健康相关的生理反应的神经机制。具体来说，我们认为社会联系的威胁可能会利用与其他关键生存威胁（例如身体伤害的威胁或经历）相同的神经和生理“警报系统”。同样，社会联系的体验可能会利用与威胁相关反应具有抑制关系的基本奖励相关机制。事实上，社会脱节和联系的神经认知相关性可能是理解社会关系与健康之间关系的重要中介。
