Falling in love affects intellectual
areas of the brain and triggers the same sensation of euphoria experienced by
people when they take cocaine, researchers from Syracuse University reveal in
an article in Journal of Sexual Medicine. The study, called "The
Neuroimaging of Love" found that several euphoria-inducing chemicals, such
as vasopression, adrenaline, oxytocin and dopamine are released in 12 areas of
the brain that work simultaneously. The authors also reveal that falling in
love can occur in a fifth of a second.
So, is love linked to
the brain or the heart?
According to Professor Stephanie Ortigue “That's a tricky question always. I
would say the brain, but the heart is also related because the complex concept
of love is formed by both bottom-up and top-down processes from the brain to
the heart and vice versa. For instance, activation in some parts of the brain
can generate stimulations to the heart, butterflies in the stomach. Some
symptoms we sometimes feel as a manifestation of the heart may sometimes be
coming from the brain.”
The scientists also found that when
couples had just fallen in love, their blood levels of NGF (nerve growth
factor) had gone up. NGF is a molecule that is key in human social chemistry,
and in "love at first sight". Ortigue believes their findings confirm
that love does have a scientific basis.
When a love affair goes wrong, or when
it ends, there is a significant risk of depression and emotional distress for
at least one of the partners. The authors say that this study has revealed
facts that could have implications for mental health and neuroscience research.
Ortigue said: It's another probe into the brain and into
the mind of a patient. By understanding why they fall in love and why they are
so heartbroken, they can use new therapies.
If we can identify
which parts of the brain are activated and stimulated by love, clinicians and
therapists might have a deeper understanding of what is going on when treating
a love-sick patient, the authors believe.
We know there are various types of
love, and it appears that different parts of the brain are affected depending
on what type of love there is. The love between a mother and her offspring, for
example, what we call unconditional love is generated by the common and
different brain areas, which includes the middle of the brain. The reward part
of the brain is stimulated when passionate love is involved, as well as
associative cognitive areas of the brain which deal with higher thought
functions, such as body image. The
Syracuse University team worked with researchers from West Virginia University
as well as Geneva University Psychiatric Center, Switzerland.
by: Abiyoso
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