Acute Love Analgesia

[liveonearth]

recent study at Stanford University
n = 15 students currently in a relationship minimum 9 mo
this stage considered to the first phase of intense love
used MRI to look at brain activity
while looking at picture of loved one researchers gave them mild doses of pain
viewing the picture of their loved ones reduced perceptions of pain
Dr Jarred Younger said that “love-induced analgesia” involves primitive functions of the brain
worked like opioid
dopamine involvement
"One of the key sites is the nucleus accumbens, a key reward addiction centre for opioids, cocaine and other drugs of abuse."
"The region tells the brain that you really need to keep doing this."

Professor Paul Gilbert, neuropsychologist from University of Derby:
“…people who feel alone and depressed may have very low pain thresholds, whereas the reverse can be true for people who feel secure and cared for."

SOURCES
http://www.dotsperiod.com/1938/being-in-love-can-be-analgesic-researchers-found-out/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-11537063