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Abstract
<p class="first" id="d11279913e91">Loneliness is a negative and distressing emotional
state that arises from a discrepancy
between one's desired and achieved levels of social connectedness. The evolutionary
theory of loneliness (ETL) posits that experiencing loneliness is an inherited adaptation
that signals that salutary social relations are endangered or damaged and prompts
people to reconnect to significant others. The basic tenets of the ETL has led researchers
to examine the genetic underpinnings of loneliness. The current review provides an
updated overview of genetic studies on loneliness and discusses the importance of
genetic research for the ETL. The most recent studies suggest that the many genes
that contribute to a small degree to differences in loneliness partially overlap with
genes that contribute to neuroticism, but not with depression. In addition, the genetic
studies discussed in this review show that genes are unlikely to have a direct effect
on loneliness. Instead, environmental factors determine in a dynamic fashion how genes
that contribute to loneliness are expressed. Future research on epigenetic processes,
such as DNA methylation, can further elucidate the dynamic interplay between genes
and the environment and how this interplay contributes to loneliness.
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