Scaredy-rats die young

High stress life may take toll on longevity.
9 December 2003

HELEN PEARSON

A new study raises the prospect that shy people might die younger than extroverts.

As many as 15% of children are thought to suffer from neophobia — a fear of novel but non-threatening situations such as meeting a stranger or entering a new room. They also have higher levels of stress hormones called glucocorticoids.

Now researchers have found that neophobic rats die an average of three months younger than their outgoing brothers — equivalent to ten years shaved off a human life¹. The scaredy-rats were chosen because they were reluctant to explore new surroundings.

Over a lifetime, heightened levels of stress hormones might take their toll, suggest Sonia Cavigelli and Martha McClintock of the University of Chicago, who carried out the study. As in frazzled workers who succumb to colds, the immune system might be particularly vulnerable to stress. "It's having some sort of wear and tear," says Cavigelli.

Whether timid people also meet a premature fate is unknown. "I don't want to take a gamble on that just yet," Cavigelli says. Being neophobic or shy might also have advantages, she points out — such as in helping animals to avoid life-threatening situations.

References