I guess this is supposed to explain the Clintoons' marriage.
Posted on 06/11/2005 6:26:48 AM PDT by pissant
Love appears to be a more evolved behavior than lust, according to new research that found both love and lust originate in our brains, but that the two feelings occupy different regions and pathways that only slightly overlap.
The authors of the study believe that lust is quite different from love. They also say humans have evolved three distinct brain systems for mating and reproduction: the sex drive, romantic love and attachment to a long-term partner.
"(Love) requires more sophisticated behaviors, reward and memory systems than other mammals, and it is present to some degree in other primates that are close to us in brain development," said Lucy Brown, lead author of the study.
Brown, a neurologist at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and her colleagues took magnetic resonance images, or pictures of brain activity, of 17 young men and women who described themselves as being "newly and madly in love."
The researchers compared the MRI data with earlier studies on male penile girth responses to photographs of women, other studies on how the brains of men and women activate when individuals view people whom they find to be attractive or unattractive, and data on both human and animal couples that have been together for a long time.
The findings will be published in the July issue of the Journal of Neurophysiology.
The researchers discovered that early stage romantic love feelings are located mainly on the right side at the base of the brain — the ventral midbrain — and in the middle of the brain, called the caudate nucleus. Long-term attachment, on the other hand, appears to be centered in the front and base of the brain, or the ventral putamen and the pallidum.
Feelings related to lust and sexual arousal occupy different areas, mostly located on the left-hand side of the brain. The area of overlap seems to mostly involve visual information, but for romantic love to set in, it takes more than just a lustful pang and a pretty face.
Lust obviously can lead to procreation, which ensures the survival of a species, but the scientists believe love is better for humans in the long-term.
"Simple lust may be necessary in extremely difficult survival circumstances when there is no time for romance," Brown told Discovery News. "It is known that people in very dangerous and threatening situations can suddenly find themselves lusty for each other, even though they are strangers. However, under safe circumstances within a stable society, romantic love and attachment may be the best and more efficient way to continue species survival."
Brown and her team believe that "love at first sight" is a real phenomenon, but they said other non-visual aspects of a person, such as mannerisms, voice, personality and social status, usually must come into play if lust is to evolve into love.
The researchers suggest "love at first sight" and the obsessive goal-driven aspects of early love are both evolved behaviors that speed up mating and provide a better chance for successful reproduction.
"Rather than get up the energy to go to a different bar every night and maybe be successful in finding a different person every night, sticking to the same person, being able to have sex without spending time on the search may increase chances for pregnancy," Brown explained.
Donatella Marazziti, a University of Pisa scientist who has also studied the brain and biochemical activity of people in love, agreed with the findings.
Marazziti said she was not surprised by the neural basis for "love at first sight," since, according to her theory, "love is a basic emotion, which would use the system of the basic emotions and, as such, it is sudden and unpredictable."
Marazziti also told Discovery News that romantic lovers are a bit "crazy," since they can experience chemical imbalances within the brain. Mental health experts have linked somewhat similar imbalances to depression, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
Cute waitresses?
No, but a great place to eat.
That will do!
I'll give you directions sometime.
Hey now!
IHOP
Pancakes are awesome!!
Phwew!
Don't you already have one? ;-)
No. But I'll send out applications soon! LOL
I'd love to see the qualifications for that job. ;-)
Regarding the topic of the thread...I feel lust and love for my husband. Sometimes I check him out just like I did when we first met. And he does the same to me. It's flattering to know that he still gets excited by just looking at me and we've been together for eight years.
I'll fax you one.
Sure its not just morning stiffness?
Ha ha. Very funny. *sticking tongue out at you*
I guess it could be "morning stiffness" if morning stiffness lasts all day. ;-)
One is in the brain in the big head, and the other is in the brain in the little head.
So9
I guess this is supposed to explain the Clintoons' marriage.
"Love appears to be a more evolved behavior than lust, according to new research.."
Duh. Really? Ya mean....lusting for sex is more primal and falling in love requires sophistocation?
I don't know what I would do without these studies to tell me these things. I'll have to enlighten all my friends about this. They surely don't know about these new facts!
This took a 'study'? Hell, Garth Brooks had a song about this years ago:
I can tell by the way you been turnin men down
Not your ordinary guy is gonna do
Youve been waitin for that someone
Who can turn your head around
Well now honey, I'm that special one for you (chorus)
There must be a million fish out in that ocean
So you must find the one thats right for you somehow
Well its up to you Im here for years
Or till the night time disappears
Im Mr. Right or Mr. Right now
And if you choose to be my wife
I would love you all my life
I'd do everything your precious heart allowed
Or we could make love love all night long
And in the morning I'd be gone
I'm Mr. Right or Mr. Right now (chorus)
I'm Mr. Right forever or just until whenever
Mr. Right or Mr. Right now
Wow...I'm a bit late to this thread!!
"The researchers discovered that early stage romantic love feelings are located mainly on the right side at the base of the brain — the ventral midbrain — and in the middle of the brain, called the caudate nucleus. Long-term attachment, on the other hand, appears to be centered in the front and base of the brain, or the ventral putamen and the pallidum."
So our tax dollars are going to a good use after all! bwahahahahaha!
Nothing can explain the Clinton's marriage!
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