Why being in Love feels so good?

I have been blogging about the Chemistry since 2011. What I love about chemistry is the constant sense of discovery: looking at the simplest reactions on a molecular level is like glimpsing a whole new world. I am also fascinated with the vast research going on Chemistry, which is a boon to the human kind. During the course of my intermediate (+2), bachelors and masters degree I hope to take part in some research. After leaving Tribhuvan University (TU) I began to teach to the B.Sc. students as well as the intermediate(+2) students. I think my desire for acquiring the knowledge in Chemistry will not be quenched even after my Ph.D. I will be looking to work in academic science, possibly in research, and some experience will almost certainly come in useful.

In the previous days,  I blogged mainly on material Chemistry. Recently, a bizarre interest arose within me to write few words on the abstract Chemistry…particularly on the “Chemistry Behind Love”.

Have you ever wondered how much of love is about the heart… and how much is about hormones? And what about chemistry—can you create it, or does it just happen? Most of us have pondered such issues.

Actually, LOVE is due to the Chemical known as Dopamine, which produce feelings of euphoria, energy, sleeplessness, and focused attention on your beloved. That’s why being in love feels so good. Due to dopamine some of the most powerful brain circuits for pleasure are triggered and people experience similar to a cocaine high.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter released by the brain that plays a number of roles in humans and other animals. Some of its notable functions are: movement, memory, pleasurable reward, behavior and cognition,attention, inhibition of prolactin production, sleep mood, learning etc. Dopamine is the chemical that mediates pleasure in the brain. It is released during pleasurable situations and stimulates one to seek out the pleasurable activity or occupation. This means food, sex, and several drugs of abuse are also stimulants of dopamine release in the brain. Excess and deficiency of this vital chemical is the cause of several disease conditions. Parkinson's disease and drug addiction are some of the examples of problems associated with abnormal dopamine levels.

  

Dr. Helen Fisher, anthropologist of Rutgers University, who is also the author of a book  “Why We Love”. Her noteworthy career has been dedicated to understanding love—how and why it functions for us humans. Once she was asked how important a role does chemistry play in love. Dr. Fisher answered that when the chemistry of one personality meshes well with the chemistry of another, it will continually combust throughout the relationship—keeping both partners together and happy during dry spells when feelings of romance are low. She also said that having sex makes people fall in love because probably after orgasm, there is a peak in dopamine activity.

Beside the Dopamine, Oxytocin and Vasopressin chemicals play a vital role in attachment. The important hormones like Testosterone and Estrogen are responsible for the lust.