Your immune system is quietly choosing your friends
Our immune system is great at keeping you alive, but it turns out, it also plays a role in our social interactions, and even our personality, according to researchers at the University of Virginia.
Historically, scientists believed the immune system and the brain never talked to each other. But now, it turns out our immune system is actively influencing our ability to interact with others. Basically, it's been having a quiet word with our brains and we had no idea.
How the hell did that happen? 🤷
In the days before we could pop along to a chemist to solve our ills, socialising was a bit like playing roulette. If you win, you're blessed with cooperation, which leads to better chances of finding food, having babies, and having someone keep an eye out for things that might eat you while you sleep.
If you lose, these so-called friends could be carrying a disease that could be curtains for you and your kin. So our immune system quietly developed a way to tell our brains to stay away from others.
How do we know it's doing that? 🔍
Researchers found a molecule, which normally gets produced when our bodies are fighting off a virus, also influences how social we are. In experiments, when scientists blocked the molecule from doing its thing, subjects started isolating themselves from the group.
When the molecule was brought back? The subject came back to join the party. Why is that? The theory is that when socialising, you're more likely to get sick, so your immune system is more active when you're with others. It's like your body knows socialising is a good thing, but it's insuring itself against the possibility that going to a lockdown rave is probably going to make you sick.
What does that mean? 🤷
Scientists being scientists, they have said, with great conviction, "it's too early to tell". But the implications are huge. Especially when it comes to studying people with autism and schizophrenia. It also means that you have the ultimate excuse for avoiding social interaction.
Ok, where can I learn more? 📚
- Did you know you have a "germ personality?"
- Turns out your gut bacteria also has skin in the game when it comes to your personality.
- How likely you think you are to get sick plays a direct role in how extroverted you are.