Scientists proved long ago that love is an emotional state, the basis of which is a certain group of so-called “happiness hormones. During love, these hormones are released sequentially, and each of them performs a specific function.

According to Robert Sternberg’s three-part theory of love, relationships develop over time and go through stages of intimacy, passion and commitment. Psychologist Carlos Garcia identifies three stages of a romantic relationship: falling in love, passional love, and compassionate love. Falling in love lasts on average six months. It is accompanied by a high level of passion and stress. The second phase, passionate love, lasts several years. The euphoria of lovers is replaced by calmness. Because of the normalization of cortisol, stress levels decrease. Link these processes to oxytocin and vasopressin-hormones of long-term relationships. “Friendly love” is the reduction of passion and the formation of a trusting relationship. In this phase, the relationship can exist for decades.

LOVE. DOPHAMIN

The very first hormone synthesized during love is dopamine. The production of this hormone is stimulated by the peculiar “reaching goal” effect that is always present in love. Dopamine signals the brain that the desired goal is within reach and forces the person to achieve it. Dopamine has a feature that keeps hopeless lovers from going crazy – it’s a quick breakdown of the hormone. And then it all depends on the expectations, to which the behavior of the partner corresponds or does not correspond. If the expectations match, the brain produces a certain amount of dopamine for the future. If the partner’s behavior does not meet the expectations, the level of dopamine decreases dramatically and the couple just begins to lose interest in each other.

In the case of unrequited love, however, dopamine goes through two phases. During the first phase, it forms a feeling of falling in love, and during the second phase, it sharply decreases and causes severe depression.

PASSIONATE LOVE. SEX. ADRENALINE, CORTISOL.

Then adrenaline comes into play. Adrenaline can enhance passion, a phenomenon often referred to as a chemical enhancer of love. Any stressful situation in a person’s life causes the body to release adrenaline hormones into the bloodstream, causing arousal. Adrenaline is a hormone that increases our normal abilities. Its production in lovers increases, which leads them to a state of inspiration and a desire to “move mountains”. Adrenaline is also associated with the state of “unhappiness” in love.

Serotonin is responsible for mood swings and emotional lability. It is also called the love hormone, it causes a feeling of satisfaction and happiness. The feeling of satisfaction after orgasm is largely regulated by serotonin. Serotonin regulates mood and affects emotional flexibility. Dopamine and serotonin balance each other out. When dopamine levels are high, as is the case with a new crush, serotonin levels go down, and then the person is more motivated to think about the object of their interest, which leads to even more crushes. Perception is completely captured by one object, the darker sides of the beloved are persistently “discarded.” After about a year, the feeling of falling in love on a biochemical level wanes – it’s serotonin levels return to normal. If one gives power to serotonin, one’s motivation decreases because of the appearance of contentment. The magic that was there at the beginning of the relationship goes away as serotonin returns. And it already takes a conscious effort to hold on to it.

AFFECTION, FRIENDLY LOVE

Thanks to research in the early 2000s, the whole world learned about the endless love of one species of meadow vole. After the first mating, these voles form pairs for the rest of their lives. They forage for food and raise their young together. Their relationship is accompanied by endless tenderness. Mountain voles, on the other hand, are usually not in a long-term relationship and behave as normal polygamous animals. The difference in their behavior is due to the fact that they have different numbers of receptors for the hormones oxytocin and vasopressin in different parts of the brain.

The main physiological function of the hormone vasopressin is fluid retention in the body. This hormone increases reabsorption in the tubule of the first order nephron. Reabsorption is the reverse absorption of water. But now its effect on attachment to an individual of the opposite sex has become known.

The brain has receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin, protein molecules that bind these hormones and cause changes in neuronal function. Monogamous voles have many more receptors in areas of the brain that are associated with the reward system: the adjoining nucleus (pleasure center), the prelimbic cortex, and the lateral parts of the amygdala.

Polygamous voles had far fewer receptors in these brain areas (Erich Fromm 1965).

The brain has receptors for oxytocin and vasopressin, protein molecules which bind these hormones and cause changes in neuronal function. Monogamous voles have many more receptors in areas of the brain that are associated with the reward system: the adjoining nucleus (pleasure center), the prelimbic cortex, and the lateral parts of the amygdala. Polygamous voles had far fewer receptors in these brain regions.

THE EFFECT OF OXYTOCIN ON ATTACHMENT IN WOMEN

For a long time in medicine, the hormone oxytocin was used in the stimulation of labor and was associated only with the mechanical processes of childbirth. It is this hormone that causes uterine contractions and thus gives the command “start!” to the birthing process, and also stimulates the mammary gland to release milk. It was later found out that this hormone is also responsible for the behavioral characteristics of the mother – it is thanks to the release of oxytocin that a woman is ready to do anything for her baby.

According to the level of oxytocin, one can judge the degree of a woman’s attachment to her partner and her readiness for a close relationship.

During one study in England, blood samples were taken from the very grooms and their relatives at a wedding, before the couple made their wedding vows. Oxytocin levels were highest in the bride, then her mother, third in the groom’s father…

THE EFFECT OF VASOPRESSIN ON ATTACHMENT IN MEN

Larry Young, neuroscientist and professor of psychiatry at Emmory University School of Medicine in the United States, describes experiments with mice of different species in his book “The Chemistry of Love. Male gray vole mice have a small number of receptors for vasopressin.

If male gray voles are implanted with genes from meadow mice, they become prone to monogamy. Two receptors, type 1 and type 2, are involved in relationship formation in meadow voles. Brenden Ginrich and his colleagues at Emory University in Atlanta showed that if the type two receptor is activated, voles will form a pair instantly, even before mating. If this receptor is blocked, no pair will form. And if you selectively activate only the type one receptor, the amount of which in the brain usually increases after mating, monogamous voles will never mate with the opposite se.

Although both oxytocin and vasopressin are characteristic of both men and women, it is generally accepted that in women the feeling of affection is governed by oxytocin, and in men, more so by vasopressin. Couples who have lived together for many years probably have an increased number of receptors to these hormones. On the contrary, dopamine levels drop, which makes people think that love and passion are gone.