
Loneliness may warp our genes, and our immune systems - gpvos
http://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2015/11/29/457255876/loneliness-may-warp-our-genes-and-our-immune-systems
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nonbel
>"CTRA gene expression was analyzed using mixed effect linear models (43)
testing association between average expression of 53 CTRA indicator
transcripts (44, 45) and either continuous UCLA Loneliness Scale scores or a
1/0 indicator of chronically high PSI (12) (UCLA Loneliness Scale score of ≥41
in at least 60% of measurements taken during study years 1–5) while
controlling for study year, age, sex, race/ethnicity, marital status,
household income, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking history, and gene-specific
differences in average expression level."
[http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/11/18/1514249112.abst...](http://www.pnas.org/content/early/2015/11/18/1514249112.abstract)

They forgot that immune activity and gene expression are reported to be
seasonal[1]. They should control for week of year that data was collected. If,
for example, people who come by in the winter months are scored as "lonely"
more often, this would correlate with expression levels of various genes even
if the two are largely unrelated.

[1]
[http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25965853](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25965853)

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wwzuk
For those that consider themselves lonely, learn about (and practice) stoicism
and meditation. They will stop the spiralling thought patterns that are making
you ill. This in turn will boost your confidence and you will become more
interesting to others around you. Oh, and lift weights - always lift weights
they do good things for your health.

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rlpb
This journalist appears to be unable to distinguish between correlation and
causation.

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gpvos
According to the study, causation actually goes both ways.

 _> What Canli finds really interesting about Cole's results is that people
who felt lonely one year had increased gene activity around inflammation and
norepinephrine later on. And people who had increased inflammation felt
lonelier the next year. "It's a two-way street," he said. "Loneliness
predicted biological changes, and biological changes predicted changes in
loneliness."_

~~~
rlpb
Again, this finds a correlation, not causation. There could be some external
factor which influences both measured metrics.

Canli as quoted clearly does understand the difference, because he states that
one predicts the other, which is distinguishing it from causation. But the
article as written implies causation without any justification for this
additional leap.

~~~
gpvos
Yes, you're correct. Prediction is still not the same as causation.

