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What happens in your brain when you’re in love?

Writer's picture: Shivalika VatsShivalika Vats

The journey of falling in love and the intricate dance that love does within our brains is a captivating tale of biology, emotion, and connection. Love, often seen as a powerful force shaping our lives, begins its journey within the brain, invoking reactions that mirror our most primal needs. When two people experience the early stages of intense romantic love, a part of the brain's reward system located in the midbrain activates. This primitive region, the ventral tegmental area (VTA), is associated with fulfilling basic needs such as thirst and hunger. Remarkably, even in our complex emotional landscape, the brain reveals that romantic love is deeply linked to fulfilling fundamental desires.


Neuroscientist Lucy Brown's research delves into this phenomenon. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), she discovered that participants who were deeply in love exhibited brain activation in the VTA when shown photos of their beloved. This initial stage of love is marked by a rush of chemicals like dopamine and oxytocin, inducing euphoria. However, serotonin levels drop, explaining the obsession with tiny details and hours spent analyzing messages. As love evolves over time, from new infatuation to longer-term commitment, the brain's activation areas expand. Brown found that in newly-married couples, regions associated with attachment were activated when they looked at photos of their long-term partners. The basal ganglia, responsible for motor control, played a crucial role in promoting attachment and perseverance even when challenges arise.


Even couples married for decades showed continued neural activity in dopamine-rich areas associated with reward and motivation, similar to the early stages of romantic love. The brain's cognitive centers, such as the angular gyrus and the mirror neuron system, also become active in long-term love. These areas facilitate shared thoughts, actions, and anticipation, making couples feel deeply connected and in tune with each other. Beyond romantic connections, various forms of love can influence our brains positively. Mutual gazing between humans and pets, like dogs, as well as the intimate bond between mothers and infants, activate the brain's reward system and promote bonding. Even passions like running, knitting, or immersing in nature activate areas related to memory, attention, and language, revealing that different forms of love share a common thread of interconnectedness.


In essence, love's journey within the brain is a tapestry of intertwined regions and chemicals that drive us to seek connection and fulfill our most fundamental needs. Whether in the throes of new romance or the warmth of long-term companionship, our brains reveal that love is a powerful force, shaping our perceptions, emotions, and ultimately our well-being.


*Link for the above article is: https://www.apa.org/topics/marriage-relationships/brain-on-love?utm_source=linkedin&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=apa-research&utm_content=brain-on-love

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