How love changes our brain

How love changes our brain

“What usually happens is that, when we like someone, an animal physical attraction appears linked to the reptilian brainknown as the instinctive brain or basic brain, the most primitive of all,” he says.

Therefore, “the need for procreation is activated in our genetics and it is at that moment when that stage of falling in love or liking begins.”

The specialist points out that “the first thing that happens on a mental level in that first phase of falling in love or feeling that we like someone is the activation of a substance in the brain called phenylethylamine. This substance forces the mind to secrete dopaminethe substance of love”.

“In addition to dopamine, oxytocin can be secreted, the hormone of happiness, so to speak. That mix of brain chemicals are responsible for us feeling in a state of natural euphoria. This chemical deployment in the brain gives the sensation that we take an amphetamine, that is, it generates the effect of an addictive substance, “she added.

Other physical symptoms of love

A clear warning of the presence of love are the tingling in the stomach, sweaty hands, stuttering and nervousness when we are close to that person we like. It seems like a cliché, but it is rigorously real.

brain and love

It is usually believed or has been discovered that when talking about falling in love, two very specific areas in the brain are activated, according to different studies; the ventral tegmental area, which is where all the dopamine is produced and the caudate nucleus, related to memory and coordination of movements.

These two areas are related to the reward system in the human being, which is linked to motivation; which in turn is crossed by a particular emotion, which leads us to make decisions and failing that, to act in one way or another.

Besides, we also use the entire tensional system when we focus our attention and efforts on a particular situation. In this case, the fact of being in love.

What role does the heart play when it comes to love?

When talking about emotion, culturally it is usually related to the heart. But, emotions are a cognitive processand they have a brain processing that produces all the symptoms generated by certain physical sensations, which is what can be identified as love.

According to the doctor, “In one in a very idyllic perspective and from a romantic perspective, one might think so, but clearly love is a display of chemical substances activated in certain brain areas that end up generating physical sensations that we know as love.”

Source: Ambito

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