Falling in love can be an exhilarating and all-consuming experience, but have you ever wondered what's going on in your brain when you're head over heels for someone? So, to close the month of February, I want to discuss with you this interesting subject, considering that the famous Valentine's Day was celebrated.
What happens in our brains when we fall in love?
Have you ever experienced the rush of excitement and euphoria of falling in love? It turns out there's a lot going on in your brain when you're in the throes of romance. Research has shown that when we fall in love, our brains undergo significant changes that can lead to feelings of connection, reward, and motivation due to various neurochemical processes.
Let's talk about Dopa...
One of the key players in the neuroscience of love is dopamine. In the early stages of romantic love, our brains also release large amounts of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure and reward (1). Studies have shown that when people view images of their romantic partners, regions of the brain associated with reward processing activate, including the ventral tegmental area and the caudate nucleus (2). This suggests that the brain is wired to reward and reinforce romantic attachment.
Oh no! I did it again...
Interestingly, research has also suggested that falling in love can decrease activity in brain regions associated with critical thinking and judgment, such as the prefrontal cortex. In one study, researchers found that individuals who reported being "madly in love" had less activity in the prefrontal cortex when viewing images of their partners than individuals who said being only "somewhat in love" (3).
Therefore, do not be surprised when you feel your decisions are not the best or wonder why you fell into repetitive patterns again. This is the explanation. Remember that the important thing is to know how to identify it. And now that you know it, you can work on it.
But it's not just neurotransmitters involved in the neuroscience of love – hormones also play a role.
Another key player in the neuroscience of love is oxytocin, often referred to as the "cuddle hormone." Oxytocin is involved in various social behaviors, including bonding and trust. When we hug someone we care about, for example, our brains release a surge of oxytocin, which helps us feel closer to that person (4). So, it is associated with both feelings of attachment and bonding.
Other studies have focused on the role of oxytocin in promoting bonding between partners. For example, research has found that administering oxytocin to couples in long-term relationships increases their feelings of closeness and intimacy (5). Oxytocin has also been shown to reduce the social distance between men and women, suggesting that it may play a role in facilitating pair-bonding (6).
Testosterone and estrogen levels also influence romantic attraction and bonding. Men with higher testosterone levels reported being more attracted to women with higher estrogen levels, suggesting that these hormones play a role in mate selection (7).
Long-lasting effects?
Also, love can have long-lasting effects on the brain. Researchers have found that couples who had been together for an average of 21 years had similar patterns of brain activity when shown pictures of their partners (2). This neural synchronization suggests that being in love can lead to long-term changes in the brain that create a sort of neural "signature" of the relationship.
Pain Perception
Finally, we have pain perception. It has been studied how falling in love can affect our perception of pain. A study found that looking at pictures of a romantic partner reduced pain intensity by up to 44%, and it is suggested that the release of endogenous opioids, such as endorphins, in response to feelings of love and connection may help to reduce pain (8).
Conclusion
In conclusion, the neuroscience of falling in love is complex but fascinating. It involves a range of neurotransmitters, hormones, and neural pathways that work together to create the intense connection and attachment we associate with romantic love. By understanding the processes that underlie our romantic feelings, we can learn why we feel the way we do and how our brains are wired for connection and intimacy.
While it's important to remember that love is a complex and multi-faceted emotion that can't be reduced to simple brain chemistry, understanding the neuroscience of love can help us appreciate the profound impact that love can have on our lives.
I hope this reading has been enjoyable and a lot of learning. Indeed, writing it was an exciting experience for me. If you wish to be aware of future publications, you can subscribe to receive notifications or follow Conecta Health's social networks.
References
1. Fisher, H. E., Aron, A., Brown, L. L., (2005). Romantic love: a mammalian brain system for mate choice. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 360(1458), 2173-2186.
2. Acevedo, B. P., Aron, A., Fisher, H. E., & Brown, L. L. (2012). Neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love. Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, 7(2), 145-159.
3. Xu, X., Chen, S., & Luo, Y. (2011). Psychological distance modulates the neural activity of self-referential processing in Chinese Buddhists. Biological Psychology, 88(1), 1-8.
4. Nagasawa, M., Kikusui, T., Onaka, T., & Ohta, M. (2009). Dog's gaze at its owner increases owner's urinary oxytocin during social interaction. Hormones and Behavior, 55(3), 434-441.
5. Scheele, D., Striepens, N., Güntürkün, O., Deutschländer, S., Maier, W., Kendrick, K. M., & Hurlemann, R. (2012). Oxytocin modulates social distance between males and females. Journal of Neuroscience, 32(46), 16074-16079.
6. Insel, T. R. (2010). The challenge of translation in social neuroscience: a review of oxytocin, vasopressin, and affiliative behavior. Neuron, 65(6), 768-779.
7. Roney, J. R., & Simmons, Z. L. (2008). Hormonal predictors of sexual motivation in natural menstrual cycles. Hormones and Behavior, 53(1), 18-26.
8. Younger, J., Aron, A., Parke, S., Chatterjee, N., & Mackey, S. (2010). The analgesic effect of romantic love on experimental pain perception. PLoS ONE, 5(2), e13368.
Comments