Neurobiology of Love: it’s role to prevent aging

By DR. Fenny L. Yudiarto (Profile)

Source

(Focus on Oxytocin)

Abstract:

Love is an intense feeling of deep affection or fondness for a person or a thing, a sexual passion, or sexual relations (Oxford English Dictionary). Love has full of emotion involved, such as attachment, commitment, intimacy, passion, grief upon separation, and jealousy. Some neurotransmitters and neuropeptides: oxytocin, vasopressin, dopamine, serotonin, endogenous morphine and also nitric oxide have participated on these processes.

Love and pleasure carry the ability to facilitate beneficial motivation and behavior, also has consequences for promote health, well-being and prevent aging. Love and sexual activity are different each other, but both can stimulate the release of oxytocin.

Oxytocin is a nonapeptide, produced primarily in hypothalamus and also in gonad tissues of men and women. The receptor of this hormone not only on nipples or genital area but also in the central and other organ systems, such as: kidney, pancreas, adrenal gland, fat cells etc. Oxytocin plays a role in the orgasmic or ejaculatory phases of the sexual response cycle, and also associated with the feeling of satiety on social interaction. There is evidence that oxytocin may facilitate other non-sexual behavior such as attachment, bonding and proximity seeking. The important thing is plasma oxytocin levels still can increase in menopause women during sexual arousal.