Makers Magazine - Spring 2024 - Flipbook - Page 41
And the basis for this name comes from the sex hormones of testosterone and
oestrogen which are the driving force behind attraction. This leads into the second
stage which is called “attraction”, and this is the stage ironically romanticized and
emphasized by our culture. The reason for attraction or the “in love” feeling is a
group of neurotransmitters known as Dopamine, Serotonin and Norepinephrine.
Altogether these neurotransmitters are known as monoamines, and have
significant roles in the sensation we’ve come to know as being “in love”. Dopamine
is responsible for multiple aspects including controlling the flow of information
from other areas of the brain to the frontal lobe and controlling our movements
while being a crucial part of the basal ganglia motor loop (PsychologistWorld).
At this point I’ve probably lost you with all of these medical terms so let me provide
you with an explanation. Dopamine, in essence, is a key chemical in the frontal
lobe (the part of the brain sitting directly behind your forehead) as it is directing
the intake and outtake of information from other lobes or areas of the brain. It also
aids in the basal ganglia motor loop which is how it connects to our movements.
However, due to it’s complexity and it’s minimal priority in the context of this
blog’s topic, I will not be explaining any further the science behind the link of
dopamine and the basal ganglia motor loop. Nevertheless, it is still important to
understand dopamine’s other roles in the brain in order to understand it’s impact
on the sensation we’ve come to know as being “in love”.
39