If you find yourself dancing naked in a fountain, being arrested for goofing about or finding that you’re acting a little out of character, chances are you’re high. Intoxicated in fact. On a drug, Oxytocin to be precise.
Yes, scientists from Amsterdam University think they have nailed the reason why so many women who once lived a normal, fairly mundane life, end up behaving like reckless hormonal teenagers, breaking rules and challenging those taboos. It’s simply a symptom of being in love.
‘Love is nothing but mere chemistry’ researchers explained, ‘When we fall in love, the levels of the hormone Oxytocin rise, which stimulates the reward mechanism in the brain and actively makes us reckless and more likely to break the rules.’
Researchers recruited 139 young adults to take part in an experiment. Each participant answered questions about their character including how spontaneous and impulsive they were and whether or not they normally live strict daily routines. Then the participants inhaled a nasal spray, half took on Oxytocin while the rest were unknowingly given a placebo.
After 30 minutes, they were given a computer task to complete. Those who had been given Oxytocin were more than twice as likely to ignore the rules of the task completely while the others did exactly as they were asked. The study, now published in the journal Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience, stated that ‘Oxytocin dampened rule adherence in particular in participants high on need for structure.’ ‘It’s probable that Oxytocin enables individuals to focus on the benefits of a particular rule, rather than following the rule or complying with the norm.’
Previous research has also shown that Oxytocin levels are higher in new lovers compared to single people.
So, who fancies getting a little high on love today? Beat you to the fountain..!
Have you ever be recklessly in love? Tell us how @lovestruck
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