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Life Sciences => Physiology & Medicine => Topic started by: thedoc on 22/02/2013 15:57:27

Title: Is Love a Drug?
Post by: thedoc on 22/02/2013 15:57:27
Is it possible successful long term relationships may be down to people simply being addicted to each other?
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Title: Is Love a Drug?
Post by: thedoc on 22/02/2013 15:57:27
We answered this question on the show...

Hannah -  Earlier Alex mentioned another brain chemical involved in love - dopamine.
We know that dopamine, as well as being involved in reward is very frequently involved in addiction. So,  if love brings on a rush of dopamine to particular areas of the brain, is it possible successful long term relationships may be down to people simply being addicted to each other?
Well, a study by Bianca Acevedo and colleagues in 2012 showed that [img float=right]/forum/copies/RTEmagicC_800px-Closeup_of_an_blue-green_human_eye_04.jpeg.jpeg[/img]people who, after 21 years of marriage, and still very very happily in love, when shown pictures of their other halves had areas of the brain lighting up in a pattern resembling drug addiction.
So, it really could be that those that stay in love are just addicted to one another! Romantic, in some sense, I suppose.