the neurobiology of love

what is love?

a noun? a verb? an adjective? a universal truth? a common thread of all religions?  a cult? a neurological phenomenon? some say that its feeling, a magical emotion , a feeling for someone like you've never felt before , love is also a set of behaviors we associate with  the feeling such as holding hands, kissing, hugging, dating, marriage, having kids or just sex, love is constucted from reality: our experiences, our feelings, brain chemistry, cultural expectations, our lives .

In humans, love often begins when an individual starts to regard another individual as special and unique. This is followed by focused attention, aggrandizement of traits and worth of the object of attention, and minimizing of his or her faults. There is increased ecstasy when things go well, despair when they do not and separation anxiety when apart.Emotional dependence, empathy, sacrifice, and obsessive thinking are common. Sexual desire,  intense possessiveness and mate guarding are present.

According to a team of scientists, love comes in many forms, its devided into three categories for our porpose: Lust, Attraction and Attachement, Each category is characterized by its own set of hormones stemming from the brain 

Lust: is that first rush of sexual attration you feel when you meet someone new, from an evolutionary  perspective,lust is what drives to mating and as a result babies. ( generated by Testosterone and estrogen)

Attraction: drives our attraction to a specific person, its what keeps us in a relationship, evolutionary it can be described as choosing an appropriate mate.( created by Dopamine,Norepinephrine and serotonin)

Attachement: is love of parent, a close friend, or a long-term partner, attachement is important for maintaining long term relationships and for maintaining familia and social connections ( mediated by Oxytocin and vasopressin).

 what is love from a neuroscience perspective?

as we fall in love,neural activity increase in key brain regions including the ventral tegmental area (VTA) located in the midbrain and the caudate nucleus found in each cerebral hemisphere. Both of these areas are part of the brain's reward pathway. the VTA  produces the feel-good neurotransmitter dopamine which increases when we are hit by cupid's arrow 

Dopamine activates the reward pathway and gives us a pleasurable sensation similar to what we get from cocaine or alcohol, making falling in love is similar to addiction .Meanwhile, the caudate nucleus appears to utilize its connections to the VTA and other brain regions to help keep the heart fluttering.

is it love can be explained by chemistry. so, if there's a "formula" for love, what is it and what does it mean?

The neuroendocrinology of Love:

love is headed by three major neuromodulators: dopamine, oxytocin and vasopressin. when you're attracted to another person, your brain release dopamine, your serotonin levels increase, and oxcytocin is produced. this causes you to feel a surge of positive emotion.

Oxytocin: sometimes referred to as the attachement hormane, oxytocin is released while breastfeeding, while snuggling, being with your loved one..., the hormone promotes bonding between family members, romantic partner, and other loved ones. it is often referred to as the cuddle hormone.

Vasopressine: while dopamine is heavily associted with the first stages of love, vasopressin becomes more important in later stages of a relationship. once a couple is commited, vasopressin gives them a greater sense of security. 

dopamine: Dopamine is what is responsible for bodily changes associated with attraction, when you're around someone you have strong romantic feeling for, you may notice your pulse quicken, your breathing gets shallow, or your cheeks warm up. these are all biological processs that are partially caused by increased levels of dopamine. cortisol and norepinephrine may also be increased, causing us to experience a feeling of urgency and to think frequently about the person we have romantic feeling for.

as such, love is clearly not just an emotion; it is a biological process that is both dynamic and bedirectional in several dimentions. social interactions between individuals, for example, trigger cognitive and physiological processes that influence emotional and mental states. in turn, these changes influence emotional and mental states. in turn, these changes influence future social interactions. similarly, the maintenance of loving relationships requires constant feedback through sensory and cognitive systems, the body seeks love and responds constantly to interaction with loved ones or to the absence of such interaction.

Love comes in several forms, from familial love to the love of your significant other and your friends. love comes in the form of respect for those aroud you. at work. and in your community. love comes in the form of comfort when someone needs it and in so many other ways. we were not put on this earth with the intent to hate one another. No race, no religion, not person sitting next you or across the aisle. God did not intend to place you here with the purpose of hatred. you are meant to be here to understand , teach, listen, learn and enjoy life.

Hating someone is so much easier than loving someone, so please guys be kind and spread LOVE.