origins of the myth
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This myth is a total oversimplification of how chemical messengers such as neurotransmitters and neuropeptides can mediate different emotions and feelings. It likely arose in the media because scientific findings are often oversimplified to keep the attention of the audience and project a clear message. Neurotransmitters and neuropeptides are chemicals in the brain that are released by neurons to transmit information and signal to other nerve cells.
For oxytocin its reputation as the 'love hormone' originates from the effects that it has upon multiple social behaviours. In particular, when oxytocin was given to virgin rats, this triggered maternal behaviours of nest-building and taking care of rat pups. Further, the bonding role attributed to the neuropeptide oxytocin is thought to contribute to monogamy and lifelong pair-bonding in prairie voles, small mammals that differ in both their behaviour and neuropeptide response compared with their promiscuous cousins, the meadow voles. |
evidence against the myth
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For every neuropeptide and neurotransmitter, it appears that we can ascribe more than one function to each chemical messenger. For oxytocin, we often talks about its roles in 'love, lust, labour and lactation' since it is also associated with induction of labour and milk production in mammals. More recently, in a variety of human studies, oxytocin has been linked to other social behaviours such as trust, reduced anxiety but also increased envy and decreased trust for members outside the social group. So the picture is far from clear that one neuropeptide or one neurotransmitter can mediate one type of behaviour.
Further references: http://www.livescience.com/42198-what-is-oxytocin.html 'Great Myths of the Brain' Christian Jarrett (2013) Wiley-Blackwell Press. |