The heart has always been a symbol of love. Because the fact that our heart beats fast and strong when we see our loved ones and reacts to them has strengthened the belief that love is located in our heart. This has made the heart the center of love in the body. Unfortunately, according to studies and research, this belief is not true. The heart has nothing to do with love.
The heart is the most important organ of the body, but it has no function other than its main function as a muscle that pumps blood throughout the body. In fact, the heart is at the service of the brain. 2500 years ago, Hippocrates said that emotions are born from the brain, and this is how it becomes true.
What are the Scientific Studies on Love?
The first studies on this subject were mainly based on observations and psychiatric measurements. However, as technology progressed, studies based on MRI, brain imaging, began to be conducted. The basic logic in brain imaging is that blood and oxygen flow occurs in some areas of the brain in relation to the work done and this causes a change in the brain.
Is Love in the Brain or the Heart?
We can bring an explanation to this issue as love starts in the brain and manifests itself in the heart. The feeling of love causes some effects on the body. Physical symptoms such as increased pulse rate, sweating, palpitations, decreased appetite, stomach acid or intestinal motility manifest themselves.
In the past, these effects were thought to be related to the heart. However, we can now definitely say that love starts in the brain and finds its reflection in the heart.
How is love formed in the brain?
Our brain is our most comprehensive organ. Each region of the brain organizes different functions. The midbrain is responsible for emotions and love. So love is perceived by the midbrain. When a person sees someone they love, the midbrain secretes chemicals that cause the heart to beat faster and stronger.
What are the Mechanism of Love and the Hormones Secreted?
Hormones are secretions that help control some of our body's activities. For example, cortisol is the hormone that affects stress and fatigue. At the beginning of love, dopamine is at its highest point. Endorphins and nerve growth factors also increase. Serotonin decreases in the blood, testosterone decreases in men and increases in women. As love turns into a bond of affection, the increased hormones decrease. During this period, oxytocin and vasopressin are released to strengthen the bond between couples.
How does love work in the male and female brain?
Research has shown that the male and female brain is affected by love in different ways. It has been revealed that the visual area is more activated in men, while the attention and memory area is more activated in women.
Does Love Have a Lifespan? The Lifespan of Love is 12-18 Months!
Although there is a perception that love will last forever in the world, when the chemistry of love and the process of normalization of chemical effects in the brain are examined, it has been revealed that the life span of love is 12 to 18 months. In other words, love ends in an average of 2 years, but the love that accompanies love still continues.
What should be done to behave rationally in love?
It is very difficult for rational emotions to rise to the top when you are in love. Because it has been observed that when you are in love, the work in the forehead lobe, which is effective in intelligence, logical inference and decision-making, decreases and even functions weaken. This lobe is the source of logic, morality, respect and obeying social rules.
What is the difference between love and affection?
Love is a period that is not easily controlled and where more insane decisions are made. Love, on the other hand, is more permanent and includes periods when logic and rules emerge.
Do we fall in love only because of reproductive instinct (Cats and March) or is love an independent event?
Different answers can be obtained from different branches of science. However, there are many factors that affect this emotion, which still harbors many unknowns. Even though human beings modernize, their instincts are still effective. So it may not be correct to say that we do not fall in love with the feeling of reproduction.
Are There Advantages and Benefits of Love?
Love has proven to have many positive effects on people. It can be said to trigger creativity, rejuvenate the brain, improve health and change perspective.
How are polygamous animals and animals that live monogamously thanks to oxytocin similar to humans?
In animal or human mammals, two hormones, oxytocin (OXY) and vasopressin (VZP), ensure bonding. These hormones are released from the pituitary gland. They are hormones that act directly in the body. When OXY becomes dysfunctional, you start to have problems remembering or recognizing social events. In other words, it can be explained as a problem in social memory function. OXY is also called the hug hormone. While the OXY hormone is at the forefront of commitment in women, the VZP hormone is related to commitment in men.
How can this monogamy or polygamy be explained?
On average, 3 to 5% of species found in nature are monogamous. Research on monogamy and polygamy has also shown that these two conditions can be transformed by hormones or genes.