A dozen brain regions, working together, create feelings of passionate love. Stephanie Ortigue of Syracuse University and her colleagues worldwide compared MRI studies of people who indicated they were either in love or were experiencing maternal or unconditional love. The comparison revealed a "passion network"—the red regions shown here at various angles. The network releases neurotransmitters and other chemicals in the brain and blood that create the sensations of attraction, arousal, pleasure…and obsession.

For more details on how the network affects cognitive functions, see "Graphic Science: Your Brain in Love" in the February 2011 issue of Scientific American.

3 Comments

1. 1. b k bhaumik 05:58 AM 2/17/11

   Functional MRI shows about the regions activated during passionate love. We would like to know about the parietal lobe activation. Is it possible that parietal lobe gets de-activated during passionate love making?

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2. 2. verdai 08:23 PM 2/18/11

   Glad you figured that out.

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3. 3. deladyBex 06:21 PM 6/11/12

   Okay so that is why I had my brain light up recently when I was attracted to someone and their commnetry? I felt it like a jolt of light inside my head. I never has this before? It was startling as I had not expected it at all and was taken by surprise over it. It actully gave me physical results of euphoria and yes it was like being a on drug? and when I have contact with this person my head seems to light up even if they are not near me?
   I am very surprised and delighted at the same time . But what to do about it is my dilemma hahahah

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