Neuroscientists identify a "chemical effect" in the brain that keeps romance alive!
Desire is caused by a "chemical effect" that makes us care more about some people than others, experts have found. The researchers used brain imaging technology on meadow voles looking for mates. Field mice are among the less than 5 percent of mammals that mate monogamously.
A new study has shown that some people can leave a unique chemical imprint on our brains.This is what keeps people in relationships even after time has passed. And time really does heal all wounds because the researchers also found that the same chemical effect disappears over time as you lose contact with your loved one. According to the researchers, the "dopamine" released in the brain when going to meet someone you love plays a critical role in keeping desire alive.
"What we found is a biological basis for desire that helps explain why we want to be with some people more than others," said Zoe Donaldson, associate professor at the University of Colorado Boulder. In this study, the team used brain imaging technology on field mice trying to reach out to their partners.
These furry rodents were chosen because they are among the three to five percent of mammals that form monogamous pair bonds.Scenarios were set up in which a vole tried to reach its partner in a separate room. The sensor lit up when it detected a dopamine release, and when the pair reunited, the sensor began to blink continuously.
When a random vole without a partner was placed on the other side of the door, the sensor dimmed. This shows that dopamine is really important in motivating us to look for our partner. More dopamine flows through our reward center when we are with our partner than with a stranger.
THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS ETERNAL LOVE
Researchers have also discovered that there is hope for the heartbroken, because after a period of separation, the brain is ready to form a new bond. To explore this, the pair of voles were separated for four weeks, an eternity in a rodent's life, and when they were reunited, the release of dopamine had almost disappeared.
The desire in their brains had disappeared and their former partners were hormonally indistinguishable from other voles. "We think of this as a kind of reset in the brain that allows the animal to move on and potentially form a new bond," said Dr. Donaldson, who led the project.
This may be good news for people who have experienced a painful breakup or even the loss of a partner. The findings may suggest that the brain has a natural mechanism to protect us from endless unrequited love.
The team will continue this study and explore how adaptable the results are to humans.By understanding what healthy connections in the brain look like, scientists hope to create new therapies to help many people with mental illnesses that affect their social world.
