Self-separation may increase susceptibility to COVID-19

Several months of self-isolation and social distance have been sacrificed. Sheldon Cohen, professor of Robert E. Doherty’s Psychology at Carnegie Mellon University, has conducted a series of studies suggesting that many interpersonal stressors are associated with increased vulnerability to upper respiratory tract viruses and possibly coronaviruses during quarantine. Announced. A summary of his work is available online on July 8 issue Perspective of psychology..

“We know little about why some people who are exposed to the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 are more likely to develop the disease than others. Psychological factors Predicting susceptibility to other respiratory viruses may provide clues to help identify key factors for COVID-19,” Cohen said.

Cohen has spent his career exploring the effects of various behavioral, social, and psychological factors on the development of upper respiratory illness. Through a series of viral attack studies, we investigated how such factors affect whether healthy adults exposed to respiratory viruses become ill. His study found that eight virus strains that cause colds (rhinovirus types 2, 9, 14, 21, 39 and Hanks, respiratory syncytial virus and coronavirus 229E) and two virus strains that cause influenza (A/Kawasaki / 86 H1N1; and A / Texas / 36/91).

“So far, the focus of the pandemic is Virus“In our work, we deliberately expose people to colds and flu viruses, Social factors Predict the effectiveness of the immune system in controlling infection or preventing or alleviating severity sick“

Cohen’s study points out the importance of social and psychological factors in the development of infection and disease. This work may hold clues to the health effects of ongoing quarantine.

Many Communities Announce Measures to Stay at Home and Expand Interpersonal Relationships to Delay Coronavirus Spread StressorLike loneliness, unemployment, and family conflicts. According to Cohen, these stressors could be strong predictors of how people respond when exposed to coronaviruses.

A series of studies found that participants experiencing interpersonal stressors were more likely to develop upper respiratory illness when exposed to the cold virus. Cohen believes that interpersonal stressors may play a similar role in response to coronavirus-caused outbreaks of COVID-19, increasing human vulnerability to infection and disease.

In addition, both social and psychological stressors increased production of cytokines, molecules that promote inflammation in response to infection. In Cohen’s study, psychological and social stressors were associated with overproduction of inflammatory cytokines in response to colds and influenza viruses. Then this excess inflammation Increased risk Get sick. Similarly, studies on COVID-19 have shown that production of excess proinflammatory cytokines is associated with more severe COVID-19 infection, and an excess cytokine response triggered by stress It suggests the hypothesis that it may contribute to excessive inflammation and symptoms as well.

Social and psychological stressors increase sensitivity, but Cohen’s study also Social integration And Social support Provides a protective shield against respiratory infections and illnesses.

“If you have a diverse social network (social integration), you tend to take care of yourself (quit smoking, moderate drinking, more sleep and exercise),” Cohen said. “Also, if people perceive people in their social networks to help them during periods of stress or adversity (social support), it weakens the effects of stressors and has less of an effect on their health. Become.”

The title of the article is “Psychosocial Vulnerability to Upper Respiratory Infections: Impact of Susceptibility to Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)”.