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CHEMICAL REACTION OF LOVE






We humans have a very complicated and sophisticated system, that is, our body.  It has been perfectly manufactured for performing various functions necessary for our survival. The emotional quotient added into our system segregates us from other species and also makes us special and different.

One of the most complicated emotion is 'love'. Yes you are right, this has to be one of the most cliché lines ever used in the history of mankind. But have you ever thought about how this feeling evolves in us? I guess not!

From the day we are born, brain takes 3 years for its overall development, including emotions. Like we all prefer a blue print of any new assignment before we start it, so does brain. It has a blue print that contains the things we regard as attractive.

But how do we decide that who we are attracted to? It depends on the hardwiring of the brain and the criteria formed in our childhood. These criteria are the things we have experienced and saw, like our family environment, our parent's thoughts, what they taught us as good or bad, what our friend circle found as attractive or appealing and various incidents we get exposed to. 


Scientists who have studied as to how we make our partner choices have revealed that these love maps begin to develop around the age of six years and are more definite by fourteen years. Two things which are certain by now is that women use the man’s resources as the major criteria and men look for youth and beauty in women to make their choice.


At the age of four, most of children want to marry their mother, father or their care-taker. Can you recall your choices at that age. I doubt! Research has revealed that we loose this 'romantic interest' in people close to us by the age of seven. At this age, people who are distant become more attractive.


This change in thoughts is based on the chemical changes that take place in our brains. This has been demonstrated by 'sweaty t-shirt' experiment. Women were asked to smell the t-shirts of range of men and asked to rate the attraction to each. The result was that the closer the relation such as father or brother, less appealing was the t-shirt. The reason behind it is the similarity in the immune system. More the difference in immune system, more were the females attracted to the t-shirt.


This phenomenon is also present in other mammals and its evolution has stopped us from mating within the same genetics as it can lead to many congenital biological problems in offspring. So it has some evolutionary significance behind it.

Timing is also important factor for attraction. If a person is in his emotional low or high, such as in depression, loneliness or wants to celebrate a huge success, he looks for  people who can satisfy his needs at that time as the love map becomes activated.


Studies have shown that when a person is elated, free from stress or is on holiday trip or work related conferences, the dopamine level in brain is increased and he has more chances of falling in love. There is the catch! Want to impress your friend? Well, its time to take her on a holiday trip!!!

So basically, be it depression or elation, our love maps in our brains have set criteria. The changes in hormonal level take place accordingly. It makes us attracted towards the kind of person we are looking for at that time. In the end, it's a hormonal affair. Skeptics may say that it is love that causes hormonal changes and not vice versa. Well, that is a million dollar question. Here again, chicken and egg debate refuses to die!



                 - Anu Sharma (Guest Writer)






Also Read..
The Enigma Called Love
Chemistry of Love and Betrayal



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10 Responses so far.

  1. Superb article ANU. Some very interesting research based information and analysis presented in simple and lighter form.

    Love is the most wonderful, divine yet difficult, debated and complicated feeling. This article presents an interesting perspective. The debate will go on.

    Chicken or Egg? The question is as old as mankind!

  2. magiceye says:

    Science related love!

  3. neelam says:

    well written!!! i had same kind of views : http://letthemflowww-niku.blogspot.in/2011/04/love-encrypting-game_28.html

  4. thanks all for appreciation!!!!!!

  5. Meoww says:

    science of love :) Good read

  6. Unknown says:

    nice article, wish you would have expanded it though!

  7. thanks meoww nd mehroo...nd mehroo wl try to expand it in future.....

  8. It all makes perfect sense when you read about what triggers love and yet you are reduced to a total emotional being with no logic when you feel it. Someone please let us know if that is good or bad, wise or unwise!

  9. I guess love is beyond logic, good or bad, wise or unwise, etc.

    It is something else..

  10. love is always good....good and bad are circumstances which is beyond us...although these emotions are a chemical reation due to set pattern in our brain...some have more and some less...but the feeling of being in love and loved is above all,it brings in security and faith......

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