Salk’s Year of Brain Health: Kay Tye on social connection and FOMO

We've all heard that staying social is good for your health. But what's actually happening in the brain when you feel connected, or when you don't? In this special Beyond Lab Walls video podcast episode—part of the Salk Institute's 2026 Year of Brain Health—Salk President Gerald Joyce, MD, PhD, sits down with neuroscientist Kay Tye, PhD, whose lab studies the brain circuits that drive social behavior, emotion, and the deep human need for connection. Together, they explore: What "social health" actually means, and why it matters more as we age How the brain responds to loneliness, and what chronic isolation can do over time The specific circuits that make us seek out others and feel safe in their company Why aging brains may become more vulnerable to social stress The benefits and lack thereof of virtual socialization—over Zoom, via social media, or with AI How social health connects to the other pillars of brain health: cardiovascular fitness, immune function, and metabolism Practical steps people can take to protect their brains through meaningful connections The foundational questions Tye's lab is pursuing right now, and why the answers could open new paths to protecting cognition This conversation is a reminder that brain health is built across a lifetime, shaped not only by what we do for our bodies, but by how we connect with the people around us. Learn more about Salk's Year of Brain Health: www.salk.edu/brain-health Subscribe for new episodes and share with someone who cares about long-term brain health. #SalkYOBH #science #neuroscience #brainhealth #socialhealth #FOMO #loneliness #SalkInstitute #podcast