STUDY FINDS NEUROSCIENTIFIC BASIS FOR LOVE

DOES THE HEART FALL IN LOVE, OR THE BRAIN?
BRAIN AND HEART INVOLVED IN FALLING IN LOVE

www.cbsnews.com - Remember the expression ‘losing your heart to someone’? Well you might have lost your brain instead, according to a new study that claims it’s your brain and not your heart that makes you fall in love. Stephanie Ortigue at Syracuse University said that falling in love can elicit not only the same euphoric feeling as using cocaine, but also affects intellectual areas of the brain – what’s more - it only takes about a fifth of a second to fall in love. Results from Ortigue’s team revealed when a person falls in love, 12 areas of the brain work in tandem to release euphoria-inducing chemicals such as dopamine, oxytocin, adrenaline and vasopression.

The feeling also affects sophisticated cognitive functions, such as mental representation, metaphors and body image. The team also found that blood levels of nerve growth factor, or NGF were also high in couples, which had just fallen in love.

This molecule involved plays an important role in the social chemistry of humans, or the phenomenon ‘love at first sight.’ “These results confirm love has a scientific basis,” said Ortigue. So, does the heart fall in love, or the brain? “I would say the brain, but the heart is also related because the complex concept of love is formed by both bottom-up and top-down processes from the brain to the heart and vice versa,” said Ortigue.

“Some symptoms we sometimes feel as a manifestation of the heart may sometimes be coming from the brain,” she added. The findings have major implications for neuroscience and mental health research because when love doesn’t work out, it can be a significant cause of emotional stress and depression.


According to a new research, both brain and heart are responsible to make someone fall in love. The researchers found that when someone develops the feeling of love for the other gender, various areas of brain triggers the release of euphoria-inducing chemicals. Findings of the study also showed that different kinds of love have different bearing on different areas of brain, for instance, an unconditional love between a mother and a child is triggered by the middle of the brain. They have already found in the brain the corresponding area where maternal love is situated, but ... where does the love for the Divine Being reside? Researchers should inquire into the Vedic knowledge to find out about the love for God.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US?

A play is staged in London. Here is a TV Box in front of you. How do you see the picture? How could the pictures reach here? It is with the help of ether. An arrangement has been made there. As a result you see the pictures here. You also make your mind like TV. Then you will see that the Lord comes to you from Goloka. You will be able to see Him. At that time you can realize. You can not realize without this arrangement. For example, someone loves a young lady. She is not here. She lives in Bombay. Though she is in Bombay she lives in his heart. If the Lord can be loved in that way He will take His seat in your heart in spite of His staying in Goloka. He Himself said: “The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them”. (S.B. 9.4.68) ... “I take my seat in every heart and am aware of it. While a person suffers from miseries I also suffer. Living in the heart of a devotee I do not suffer from miseries. I get pleasure by doing so. I feel happy by observing his serving attitude”.

Śrīla Bhakti Kumud Santa Mahārāja :
“Śrī Guru Tattva”
A Lecture on the occasion of the
Abirbhava of Śrīpad Vamana Maharaja
Bhaktivedanta Memorial Library
www.bvml.org/SBKSM/index.htm