ALRIGHT, REAL QUICK.
VALENTINE DAY IS HERE AND LOVE IS IN THE AIR
WELL, ACTUALLY. THE MORE ACCURATE THING TO SAY IS
OUR BRAINS ARE HOPPED-UP ON OXYTOCIN
SO WHAT IS OXYTOCIN?
AND WHY IS IT CONSIDERED A LOVE HORMON?
WELL, OXYTOCIN IS A NEUROPEPTIDE
WHIC MEANS IT IS A SHORT-CHAIN POLYPEPTIDE WHICH'S USED IN NEURO TRANSMITTER
RELAYING A SIGNAL FROM ONE NEURON TO ANOTHER
OXYTOCIN IS RELEASED BY A PITUITARY GLAND
AND VIA OXYTOCIN RECEPTORS
WHICH CAN BE FOUND ON THE CELLS IN THE BRAIN
AS WELL AS THE REST OF THE BODY
OXYTOCIN IS CRUCIAL DURING THE DELIVERY OF A BABY
IT HELPS WITH CERVICAL DILATION AND CONTRACTIONS
THEN DURING BREAST-FEEDING, OXYTOCIN
OXYTOCIN GETS RELEASED IN RESPONSE TO A BABY'S SUCKLING
OR EVEN A BABY'S CRY. IT'S PART OF THE REFLECT
THAT ALLOWS MILK TO BE LET DOWN FROM THE NIPPLES
BUT OXYTOCIN AFFECTS EVERYONE
NOT JUST MOTHER. IT PROMOTES GENEROSITY AND TRUST
DECREASES FEAR AND EVEN HELPS PEOPLE
RECOVER FROM NEGATIVE SOCIAL INTERACTIONS
OXYTOCIN IS ALSO INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT FOR PAIR BONDING
LIKE IN ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIP
INCREASING MOOD AND FEELINGS OF ATTACHMENT AND IT'S EVEN THOUGHT
TO HELP WITH SEXUAL AROUSAL OR ORGASMS
BUT IT ALSO PLAYS IN A PLATONIC RELATIONSHIP
FOR EXAMPLE, OXYTOCIN LEVELS RISES
IN HUMAN AND DOG AFTER THEY SPEND TIME PETTING
OR PLAYING TOGETHER
HOWEVER, FOR ALL ROSES EFFECT, OXYTOCIN DOES HAVE SOME THORNS
OXYTOCIN PROMOTES BONDING BETWEEN PEOPLE WITH SHARED CHARACTERISTICS
MEANING THAT IT MAKES US FAVOUR PEOPLE THAT ARE LIKE US IN SOME WAYS
HAVE A BIAS AGAINST PEOPLE THAT AREN'T LIKE US
ALL OF THIS TO SAY THAT
OXYTOCIN PLAYS A COMPLEX AND NUANCE ROLE IN THE BODY
HAPPY VALENTINE DAY!