Para_Pharma_Lia: Love Pill

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“All our emotions are built 

on the foundation of neuroscience” 

Anders Sandberg

Oxford Neuroscientist Develops A ‘Love Drug’ to Help Humans Fall in Love 

They are in tons of fairytales, aiding a hero or heroine to the love of their life; just to find that that love isn’t actually real. Studies at Oxford University are just steps away from creating love pills that might actually end up making someone fall in love, but there seems to be a lot of questions as to whether or not using them would be such a good idea. 

Anders Sandberg is a Neuroethicist as Oxford University’s Future of Humanity Institute, and he says that while these love drugs haven’t yet hit the stores, it’ll be only a matter of years before they are active. His entire work is centered around understanding the ethical consequences of these pills by combining studies of neuroscience and philosophy. 

Sandberg is quoted saying “All our emotions are built on the foundation of neuroscience”. 

This is a huge statement because recently, neuroscientists are mapping out the processes in the brain when we are in love, which brings us ever closer to recreating those processes artificially. 

While it’s no surprise that love is an extremely complicated emotion, neuroimaging of the brain is actually capturing just how complicated the feeling really is. Different sections of the brain are in charge of each stage of a romance, from the first initial feelings of attraction, all the way down to a full time commitment. 

Love pills. Made in EROS FACTORY

The very last step is the one that these love pills would focus on, helping couples to achieve a re-booted romance that will last. Sandberg helps to differentiate between these pills and what’s found in story books by saying, “it’s very different to the love potions in fairytales where you drink it and then fall in love with the next person who comes in. 

From an ethical standpoint, that’s very worrisome. 

I would imagine a future love drug would be something you take together with your partner, and that causes a slow, long-term experience”. (Más)

Love potions could exist within ten years, scientist claims | The Independent.14.4.2017

The concept of love potions has long been appealing, if somewhat dangerous. But surely there’s no real way you could consume something that would make you fall in love with someone? 

According to Dr. Anders Sandberg of the University of Oxford, love potions could soon be a reality. 

As a senior research fellow and trained computational neuroscientist, it’s likely Dr Sandberg knows what he’s talking about too. 

Sandberg points out that one of the main reasons humans fall in love is that our babies can’t look after themselves - various animals, in contrast, are much more capable of finding food and being generally self-sufficient from a young age. 

“We humans have really hopeless babies, unlike baby horses, who can walk a few hours after getting born,” Sandberg told Broadly. 

“So from an evolutionary point of view, we need to make sure parents stay together to give their offspring the best chance of survival. That's where pair-bonding systems come into play.” 

When you fall in love with someone, the effect on your brain is unique - oxytocin and vasopressin are released by activating the brain’s dopamine system. 

“The thing that really creates a bond together is the dopamine system,” Sandberg explains. “Many of the symptoms are similar to taking a stimulant effect. You have a dopamine release in your frontal lobe, and this causes you to recognize that this is someone who you should be around, who you should feel close to.” 

And the reason you miss your partner - and specifically their smell - when separated is because your body releases corticotropin-releasing hormone (CPH) when they’re away.(Ver)