Wired for Love: A Neuroscientist's Journey Through Romance, Loss, and the Essence of Human Connection

Love is not optional. It is not something we can do without. Love is a biological necessity. My scientific research on the brain has convinced me that a healthy love life is as necessary to a person’s well-being as nutritious food, exercise, or clean water. Evolution has sculpted our brains and bodies specifically to build and benefit from lasting romantic connections. When those connections are frayed or ruptured, the consequences to our mental and physical health are devastating. My research has revealed that not only are we wired for love but that, like Dirac, we cannot realize our full potential as human beings without it. Whatever the future of our social life will look like, love must be the foundation and cornerstone.

Tags: #love #neuroscience #biology #longevity #relationships

This part of the brain helps us to distinguish right from wrong, to control and suppress urges, to see silver linings in dark situations, and to make hard decisions and delay gratification, if it benefits us in the long term or benefits some cause greater than ourselves.

Tags: #neuroscience #decision-making #psychology #creativity #mental-models