Neural basis of loneliness

Loneliness is associated with cognitive biases that might reinforce maladaptive behaviors leading to increasing feelings of loneliness and poor mental health. 

These cognitive biases might impair lonely individuals’ ability to reconnect because of inaccurate and overly negative social inferences about their social partners.

Stronger functional coupling between the orbitofrontal cortex and default mode network brain regions helps counteract the formation of overly negative impressions of others.

Community-based approaches create a safe environment that fosters more positive inferences and adaptive social behaviors for more stable long-term social bonds.

https://www.cell.com/trends/cognitive-sciences/fulltext/S1364-6613(25)00202-5

https://sciencemission.com/maladaptive-behaviors-in-loneliness