There is a belief that such a high feeling as love has the expiration date, and it depends not so much on the intensity and depth of emotions, but is regulated at the physiological level. We decided to check whether the hormones really play such a significant role that without them feelings die during this period.

The name of the novel by Frederick Be Begbeder “Love Lives Three years”, published in 1997, by many for many. The author writes that people's love feelings for each other depend on the neurotransmitter of dopamine, who, in particular, is responsible for the incentive system. The weaker his action, the faster the romantic feeling disappears. The same justification of the fragility of romantic feelings can be found not only in fiction, but also in the materials of the media, for example Theory and Practice or Psychologiesas well as in numerous regional publications. Usually just such a duration Bind With the period necessary in primitive times, the period to continue the genus: “At about three years, the beginning of a relationship, conception of a child, pregnancy and childbirth in a woman, then recovery after childbirth and support for the child in the early stages of development.”

Also supporters of the "expiration date" of feelings Reference On the American professor of anthropology, Dr. Helena Fisher, allegedly her study showed that the active production of dopamine could last no more than 30 months.

Hormones and neurotransmitters, indeed, play an important role in the regulation of the emotional sphere of a person. When a person falls in love It begins The active production of dopamine, norepinephrine, phenyleneine and serotonin - hormones responsible for the feeling of communication with a partner, vasopressin and oxytocin, forming affection, and, of course, androgens and estrogen associated with libido. In addition to the ongoing hormonal bursts, the activity of the brain changes - certain sections of its bark are excited. Interestingly, when looking at the photograph of your passion, volunteers of one experiment Demonstrated On the MRI of the brain, the excitation of the same zones that are activated when taking cocaine, morphine or cannabinoids. Of course, both chemical and physiological changes do not last all life, but their validity is not limited to three years.

American researchers Sicked A group of volunteers, some of which were in relations for more than ten years, and some only recently found their second halves. Showing the participants of the experiment to photographs of both their partners and random people, scientists compared the activity of different zones of the brain on MRI. Both groups showed a similar reaction, seeing the pictures of their loved ones, namely, an increase in signals in that area of the cerebral cortex, which is responsible for reward and pleasure. The only difference between the "old -timers" and the "beginners" was that, in addition, the "beginners" more actively reacted the zone of sexual desire.

Data on different zones of the brain responsible for sexual passion and love affection, confirmed and an international experiment conducted by scientists from Canada, the USA and Switzerland. Volunteers analyzed the excitation of different brain structures in response to a demonstration of photographs of beloved people or images of erotic content. Favorite faces activated one zone (by the way, the same as drugs) - rewards and pleasure, and exciting pictures - the one that can also be stimulated by delicious food or sex.

Another experiment showedthat even couples who have been married for more than 20 years, when looking at their favorite faces, the same areas of the brain are activated as only recently began to build relationships. By the way, it is these zones during activation that give a signal to the development of the main love hormone - dopamine. However, in addition to the view of the lover, the production of dopamine stimulate And the relationship itself, primarily sex. It is important to note that an anthropologist from the USA Helen Fisher in his works investigated Only periods of the most active production of dopamine, creating an euphoria of love. Her achievements cannot be interpreted in favor of perishable feelings, as she notes that the constant novelty and diversity in the relationship of the couple allows them to maintain romantic feelings for a long time. In particular, in an interview with Rossiy Gazeta, Helen Fisher herself Confirmedthat "a deep sense of attachment between people can last a whole life."

It does not stop in three years and the development of another important substance - oxytocin, or an attachment hormone. Regular sex, especially with the achievement of orgasm, Allows The body maintain the level of oxytocin for a long time, therefore, attachment to the partner does not disappear anywhere.

Пара, Любовь, Брак, Пожилой, Единение, Монохромный

Thus, there are no scientific data that would testify in favor of the fact that at the physical level love has a shelf life. Counses, marriage for more than one decade, demonstrate the absolutely the same physiological manifestations of love as only those who have met their soul mate.