Identification of acutely sick people and facial cues of sickness
Identification of acutely sick people and facial cues of sickness
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DOI：
10.1098/rspb.2017.2430
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发表时间：
2018-01-10
影响因子：
4.7
通讯作者：
Lekander, Mats
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Axelsson, John;Sundelin, Tina;Lekander, Mats
发现和避免患病被认为是预防疾病行为的基本组成部分，限制了污染的风险。然而，几乎没有知识存在于人类是否可以检测到生病的人，如果是这样，通过什么线索。在这里，我们证明了未经训练的人可以通过观察注射诱导免疫反应的细菌刺激物（2.0 ng kg（-1）脂多糖）或安慰剂后2小时拍摄的面部照片来识别患病个体，总体敏感性指数为d' = 0.405。信号检测分析（受试者工作特征曲线面积）显示面积为0.62（95%置信区间0.60-0.63）。天真的观察者认为，急性病患者的嘴唇和皮肤更苍白，脸更肿胀，嘴角更下垂，眼睑更下垂，眼睛更红，皮肤不那么光滑和斑驳，而且看起来更疲倦。我们的研究结果表明，与皮肤，嘴巴和眼睛相关的面部线索可以帮助检测急性疾病和潜在传染性的人。
Detection and avoidance of sick individuals have been proposed as essential components in a behavioural defence against disease, limiting the risk of contamination. However, almost no knowledge exists on whether humans can detect sick individuals, and if so by what cues. Here, we demonstrate that untrained people can identify sick individuals above chance level by looking at facial photos taken 2 h after injection with a bacterial stimulus inducing an immune response (2.0 ng kg(-1) lipopolysaccharide) or placebo, the global sensitivity index being d' = 0.405. Signal detection analysis (receiver operating characteristic curve area) showed an area of 0.62 (95% confidence intervals 0.60-0.63). Acutely sick people were rated by naive observers as having paler lips and skin, a more swollen face, droopier corners of the mouth, more hanging eyelids, redder eyes, and less glossy and patchy skin, as well as appearing more tired. Our findings suggest that facial cues associated with the skin, mouth and eyes can aid in the detection of acutely sick and potentially contagious people.