Solo Plight
Newsweek|April 28 2017

Solitary confinement makes prisoners behave badly and screws up their brains

Ramin Skibba
Solo Plight

THEY LIVE in tiny, austere cages not much larger than their bodies, isolated from their peers. These pitiful lab rats once served merely as control groups for researchers, compared with rodents in more comfortable abodes. But then scientists realized these unfortunate rats could be the perfect model for a bigger, uglier experiment, since their living conditions mimic those of human prisoners in solitary confinement.

Within just a few days, rats isolated in small cages exhibit stress-related symptoms, aggressive behavior and higher incidences of disease, and they begin to lose the ability to recognize other animals. Even their brain cells, synapses, blood flow and nervous systems start to be impaired. Scientists believe this happens to humans in isolation as well. “Our brains cannot function without social interactions. We require them as much as air and water,” says Michael Zigmond, a neurologist at the University of Pittsburgh. He and other scientists have drawn attention in recent years to the effects of solitary confinement on people’s brains, minds and behavior.

Last year, he and his colleagues studied how mice and rats respond to isolated and enriched environments. For the latter, they grouped 14 mice or six rats in a cage with toys, mazes, tunnels and places to climb, in order to simulate what a natural rodent society might be like. They found the isolated rodents tended to have brains with smaller neurons, with fewer branches in regions like the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, which are involved in learning, memory, perception and executive brain functions. The amygdala, which influences feelings of fear and panic, was an exception, showing more activity.

This story is from the April 28 2017 edition of Newsweek.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the April 28 2017 edition of Newsweek.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM NEWSWEEKView All
Ramy Youssef
Newsweek US

Ramy Youssef

DESCRIBING RAMY YOUSSEF'S WORK ISN'T EASY, BECAUSE HE REFUSES TO settle on just one thing. \"I feel really inspired to connect in the way that it makes sense.\"

time-read
2 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Tobias Menzies
Newsweek US

Tobias Menzies

HOW MUCH DO WE REALLY KNOW ABOUT THE assassination of President Abraham Lincoln? That's a question Tobias Menzies hopes to answer in Apple TV+'s Manhunt (March 15).

time-read
1 min  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
The Fall and Rise of Katt Williams
Newsweek US

The Fall and Rise of Katt Williams

He's had a string of run-ins with the law, yet the comedian's popularity continues to grow-with a recent podcast appearance blowing up the internet

time-read
6 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
AMERICA'S Greatest Workplaces for JOB STARTERS 2024
Newsweek US

AMERICA'S Greatest Workplaces for JOB STARTERS 2024

Getting a career started is never easy. First-day stumbling blocks can give way to larger questions about choosing the right career path. Imposter syndrome, information overload, the challenge of new colleagues: it's almost enough to make you miss the routine of sending out endless résumés to online job descriptions.

time-read
3 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
THE INCONCEIVABLE SEARCH FOR SPERM
Newsweek US

THE INCONCEIVABLE SEARCH FOR SPERM

Making MOTHERHOOD a reality in the face of virtually every cultural taboo

time-read
10+ mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
I'm Suing Harvard Over Rife Antisemitism
Newsweek US

I'm Suing Harvard Over Rife Antisemitism

I applied to the university's Divinity School to be an ambassador for Orthodox Jews and build bridges with other cultures; instead I'm battling discrimination

time-read
4 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Gen Z's Pockets Full of Cash
Newsweek US

Gen Z's Pockets Full of Cash

Digital wallets and bank cards might appear to be the modern way to pay, but physical money is making a comeback among young adults

time-read
4 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Biden's Age Problem Tears Democrats Apart
Newsweek US

Biden's Age Problem Tears Democrats Apart

After being depicted as an 'elderly man with a poor memory,' questions surrounding the president's advanced years are dividing his party

time-read
6 mins  |
March 29 - April 05, 2024 (Double Issue)
Country Has Won Our Achy Breaky Hearts
Newsweek US

Country Has Won Our Achy Breaky Hearts

The genre has never been so popular-and with the likes of Beyoncé reminding fans of its roots, its mainstream appeal looks set to grow and grow

time-read
6 mins  |
March 22, 2024
'Deadly Risk' of Fat-Loss Drugs
Newsweek US

'Deadly Risk' of Fat-Loss Drugs

Diabetes treatment Ozempic has become popular among dieters due to its weightloss side effect, but a study warns of a link between the drug and suicidal thoughts

time-read
5 mins  |
March 22, 2024