From Our Neurons to Yours "Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection" | Ben Rein
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Oct 16, 2025 In this enlightening discussion, neuroscientist Ben Rein, an adjunct lecturer at Stanford and author of "Why Brains Need Friends," explores the critical need for social connections in maintaining our mental and physical health. He reveals how isolation, exacerbated by technology and societal divides, can increase risks of mental illness, heart disease, and dementia. Ben offers insights into the brain chemistry behind social interactions and provides practical tips for rebuilding our social 'diet' to foster better health and well-being.
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Loneliness, Isolation, And Division Are Distinct
- Loneliness, isolation, and division are related but distinct problems harming society and brain health.
- Ben Rein argues division may be the most damaging because it severs belonging and magnifies social stress.
Online Cues Fail To Trigger Empathy
- Online interactions strip social cues that normally trigger empathy circuits in the brain.
- This 'virtual disengagement' makes hostility more likely during text-based exchanges.
Isolation Triggers A Biological Alarm
- Social isolation acts as a chronic stressor that activates the HPA axis and raises cortisol.
- Evolutionarily, being cast out signaled danger, so the brain treats isolation as an alarm state.
