Thumbnail Image
Item

Lover’s High: The Neuroscience of Love and Love Addiction

Akther, Samrin
; 
Tang, Alexis
; ; 
Ippolito, Sonja
; 
Jenkins, Layla
; 
Das, Prinijasi
Citations
Altmetric:
Genre
Journal article
Date
2024-12-16
Advisor
Shah, Mansi
Committee member
Group
Department
Psychology and Neuroscience
Subject
Dopamine
 Addiction, Love
 Neural circuitry
Permanent link to this record
https://scholarshare.temple.edu/handle/20.500.12613/11448
Collections
Undergraduate Works
Show all metadata
Files
Thumbnail Image
08-AktherEtAl-JournalArticle-Fall2024.pdf
Adobe PDF, 1.44 MB
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
DOI
https://doi.org/10.34944/01jy-m674
Abstract
Few human experiences have the power to remind us that we belong to our hearts, dissolve the deepest indifference, and transcend the boundaries of civilizations and time. Love, one of the most profound human emotions, takes on new significance when examined scientifically. When taken out of the hands of a poet and put into those of a neuroscientist, love reveals an entirely new world of meaning. From early butterflies to all-consuming desire, the brain quietly works with the heart through every stage of love. The neuroscience of love involves a complex interplay of neural processes. When an individual falls in love, various brain regions activate, including those responsible for releasing dopamine–the “feel good hormone”–and engaging the brain’s reward circuits. Together, these processes generate physical and emotional responses: the flush on a lover’s cheeks, the steady increase of their heart rate, the perspiration dampening their palms, and the overwhelming emotions associated with falling in love. However, the same neural mechanisms driving love can also reveal a darker side–one that shifts from the sweet sensations associated with love to something resembling addiction. “Love addiction” refers to the pathological obsession that consumes an individual when love transforms from a healthy emotion to a compulsive fixation. As the sensation of love shifts into obsession, the brain follows suit.
Description
Citation
Akther, S., Tang, A., Hubbard, L., Ippolito, S., Jenkins, L., & Das, P. (2024). Lover’s High: The Neuroscience of Love and Love Addiction. Grey Matters, 8, 36-39.
Citation to related work
Available at: https://greymattersjournaltu.org/issue-8-1/new-portfolio-item-1
Has part
Grey Matters, Iss. 8, Fall 2024
ADA compliance
For Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) accommodation, including help with reading this content, please contact scholarshare@temple.edu
Embedded videos