A Finnish study found that different kinds of love activate different parts of the brain. Researchers analyzed the impact of six kinds of love: romantic, parental; friendship; pet love; love of strangers; and love of nature. Romantic and parental love activate reward centers in the brain most strongly. “In parental love, there was activation deep in the brain’s reward system…and this was not seen for any other kind of love,” researcher Pärttyli Rinne said. Pet lovers experienced a love that is comparable to love of fellow humans. Love of nature, however, lit up unique areas in the brain linked to visual and spatial awareness, which could explain why nature lovers feel more relaxed in the great outdoors. (Study Finds)
Phone Topic: How did you know you were in love with your partner?