What Happens to Your Brain When You’re in Love

By: burgundy bug

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Statues Kissing

Source: Kissing Statues on Canvas | Penelope Peru Photography P³

Your pupils dilate and a wave of euphoria washes over you. You are engulfed in a sense of calm, despite an increase in your heart rate. This is not a work of magic, no. This is your brain on love.

A Bit of Context…

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Xave: HELLO, IT ME.

Source: My Brain 15 | Penelope Peru Photography P³

The human brain is a delicate, complex collection of neurons, glial cells, electricity, and hormones. According to research published by Karger, the adult human brain consists of 86 billion neurons. Think that’s impressive? Scientific American reports that glial cells outnumber neurons by as many as 50 glia for everyone one neuron.

Neurons are the primary unit of our brains and nervous system. They are responsible for sending and receiving sensory input, in addition to controlling our muscles. Furthermore, neurons translate these messages into electrical signals and relay them from one neuron to another.

Hormones are chemicals produced by cells in one part of the body that travel through your bloodstream in order to conduct these messages to other areas of the body. They regulate our behaviors, such as our emotions, sleep and wake cycles, our appetite, and many other bodily functions.

There are many different hormones including adrenaline, insulin, estrogen, testosterone, serotonin, dopamine, oxytocin, among others.