Affiliative arousal, alexithymia, dopamine release and blood sugar mobilization in healthy adults and adults with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus

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Abstract
In a study of 49 healthy adults and 30 adults with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). it was shown that matching affiliative emotional arousal with a strong need for Affiliation led to increased dopamine release among alexithymics in either group of subjects. This result is in line with previous research and theory indicating alexithymics tend to express emotional arousal through physiological channels rather than through conscious feelings as reflected in the use of emotion words. High levels of dopamine release in turn were associated with relatively greater mobilization of blood glucose in all subjects. The relationships discovered represent a risk for those with IDDM because they are significantly more often high in the need for Affiliation and alexithymic and because among them the increased release of dopamine by affiliative stimulation and the related mobilization of blood sugar are significantly associated with poor metabolic control.