The Brain In Love (VIDEO)

“Romantic love is one of the most addictive substances on earth.” – Helen Fisher

In this fascinating TED talk, Dr. Helen Fisher explores what happens inside the brain when we experience romantic love. To that end, Fisher describes a series of studies she conducted in which people were put in MRI machines and shown images of their loved ones. The incredible results help to explain why romantic love is such an intense and consuming state, why some couples are able to maintain passion longer than others, and why breakups can be so devastating. Fisher also explores the similarities between romantic love and addiction (for instance, you see tolerance, withdrawal, and relapse in both cases), and even considers parallels to romantic love in the animal kingdom. Check out the full video below for more on the neurochemistry behind love.

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