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In addition, as scientists from the University of Lausanne (Unil) showed in the study, isolated ants behave differently: They become more hyperactive and move more near walls, Unil wrote in a statement on Wednesday.
Biologists used workers from the ant species Camponotus Fellah for their experiments. The insects were separated from other insects and locked alone in plastic boxes containing food and water for 24 hours. As a control, ants were locked in the same boxes in groups of ten animals.
After 24 hours, genetic tests were performed on the ants. These showed increased expression of genes called redox reactions in isolated ants. This led to the accumulation of oxygen radicals in cells called oenocytes, which correspond to liver cells in insects.
In particular, this means that the ants suffered from oxidative stress. This is known to accelerate aging. Tests showed that the researchers were able to reverse the harmful process by applying antioxidants (antagonists of oxygen radicals) to isolated ants.
These results will help us better understand the effects of isolation on people. “Social isolation also leads to stress in people by increasing levels of cortisol, the stress hormone,” study leader Laurent Keller, a former professor of ecology at the University of Lausanne, told the Keystone-SDA news agency.
“One can easily imagine that administering antioxidants could have positive effects on people suffering from social isolation. But you would need to do a study to test this,” says Keller.
(SDA)
Source : Blick
I am Dawid Malan, a news reporter for 24 Instant News. I specialize in celebrity and entertainment news, writing stories that capture the attention of readers from all walks of life. My work has been featured in some of the world’s leading publications and I am passionate about delivering quality content to my readers.
