This is how isolation impacts mental health

The researchers said that the subjects' behaviour suggest a promising pathway for understanding the brain mechanisms.

The findings of a new Cornell University research suggested that female mice exhibit a strong drive to socialize with other females following periods of acute isolation, significantly increasing their production of social calls that are akin to human emotional vocalizations. The researchers, whose study was published in PLOS ONE, said their behaviour suggests a promising pathway for understanding the brain mechanisms through which isolation affects people's social motivation and mental health - a growing concern during the COVID-19 pandemic. "That kind of social interaction between female mice is the most equivalent to our daily interactions with other people," said Katherine Tschida, assistant professor of psychology in the College of Arts and Sciences.