| Recorded at | December 08, 2022 |
|---|---|
| Event | TED-Ed |
| Duration (min:sec) | 05:59 |
| Video Type | TED-Ed Original |
| Words per minute | 122.12 very slow |
| Readability (FK) | 34.71 very difficult |
| Speaker | Shannon Odell |
Official TED page for this talk
Synopsis
Love is often described as heartwarming, heart-wrenching, or even heartbreaking— and your brain is responsible for all these feelings. The journey from first spark to the last tear is guided by a symphony of neurochemicals and brain systems. Shannon Odell explores what happens in your brain when you fall in love, how it responds to a relationship, and how it reacts to a breakup. [Directed by Biljana Labović, narrated by Alexandra Panzer, music by Samuel Bellingham].
| 1 | 00:06 | Love is often described as heartwarming, heart-wrenching and even heartbreaking. | ||
| 2 | 00:11 | So, what does the brain have to do with it? | ||
| 3 | 00:14 | Everything! | ||
| 4 | 00:15 | The journey from first spark to last tear is guided by a symphony of neurochemicals and brain systems. | ||
| 5 | 01:06 | As you begin to fall for someone, you may find yourself excessively daydreaming about them and wanting to spend more and more time together. | ||
| 6 | 01:14 | This first stage of love is what psychologists call infatuation, or passionate love. | ||
| 7 | 01:20 | Your new relationship can feel almost intoxicating, and when it comes to the brain, that’s not far from the truth. | ||
| 8 | 01:27 | Infatuated individuals show increased activation in the ventral tegmental area. | ||
| 9 | 01:33 | The VTA is the reward-processing and motivation hub of the brain, firing when you do things like eat a sweet treat, quench your thirst, or in more extreme cases, take drugs of abuse. | ||
| 10 | 01:44 | Activation releases the “feel good” neurotransmitter dopamine, teaching your brain to repeat behaviors in anticipation of receiving the same initial reward. | ||
| 11 | 01:54 | This increased VTA activity is the reason love's not only euphoric, but also draws you towards your new partner. | ||
| 12 | 02:01 | At this first stage, it may be hard to see any faults in your new perfect partner. | ||
| 13 | 02:06 | This haze is thanks to love’s influence on higher cortical brain regions. | ||
| 14 | 02:11 | Some newly infatuated individuals show decreased activity in the brain’s cognitive center, the prefrontal cortex. | ||
| 15 | 02:18 | As activation of this region allows us to engage in critical thought and pass judgment, it’s not surprising we tend to see new relationships through rose-colored glasses. | ||
| 16 | 02:27 | While this first stage of love can be an intense rollercoaster of emotions and brain activity, it typically only lasts a few months, making way for the more long-lasting stage of love, known as attachment, or compassionate love. | ||
| 17 | 03:04 | As your relationship develops, you may feel more relaxed and committed to your partner thanks in large part to two hormones: oxytocin and vasopressin. | ||
| 18 | 03:13 | Known as pair-bonding hormones, they signal trust, feelings of social support and attachment. | ||
| 19 | 03:19 | In this way, romantic love is not unlike other forms of love, as these hormones also help bond families and friendships. | ||
| 20 | 03:27 | Further, oxytocin can inhibit the release of stress hormones, which is why spending time with a loved one can feel so relaxing. | ||
| 21 | 03:35 | As early love's suspension of judgment fades, it can be replaced by a more honest understanding and deeper connection. | ||
| 22 | 03:42 | Alternatively, as your rose-colored glasses begin to lose their tint, problems in your relationship may become more evident. | ||
| 23 | 04:12 | No matter the reason a relationship ends, we can blame the pain that accompanies heartbreak on the brain. | ||
| 24 | 04:18 | The distress of a breakup activates the insular cortex, a region that processes pain— both physical, like spraining your ankle, as well as social, like the feelings of rejection. | ||
| 25 | 04:29 | As days pass, you may find yourself once again daydreaming about or craving contact with your lost partner. | ||
| 26 | 04:35 | The drive to reach out may feel overwhelming, like an extreme hunger or thirst. | ||
| 27 | 04:39 | When looking at photos of a former partner, heartbroken individuals again show increased activity in the VTA, the motivation and reward center that drove feelings of longing during the initial stages of the relationship. | ||
| 28 | 04:52 | This emotional whirlwind also likely activates your body’s alarm system, the stress axis, leaving you feeling shaken and restless. | ||
| 29 | 05:01 | As time goes on, higher cortical regions which oversee reasoning and impulse control, can pump the brakes on this distress and craving signaling. | ||
| 30 | 05:10 | Given that these regions are still maturing and making connections through adolescence, it's no wonder that first heartbreak can feel particularly agonizing. | ||
| 31 | 05:41 | Activities like exercise, spending time with friends, or even listening to your favorite song can tame this heartbreak stress response, while also triggering the release of feel good neurotransmitter dopamine. | ||
| 32 | 05:53 | And given time and the support, most can heal and learn from even the most devastating heartbreak. |