new love and nerve growth factor

http://www.boingboing.net/2005/11/29/possible_love_molecu.html

Tuesday, November 29, 2005

Possible "love molecule" identified

Psychiatrists from Pavia University have associated early romantic love with a biochemical known as nerve growth factor (NGF). Apparently, levels of NGF in the bloodstream were significantly higher in subjects who were in the early stages of romance than individuals not in a relationship. Interestingly, "subjects in love who—after 12–24 months—maintained the same relationship but were no longer in the same mental state to which they had referred during the initial evaluation" did not have elevated NGF levels.

Link to the paper summary in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology,
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_aset=V-WA-A-W-B-MsSWYWW-UUA-U-AABCEABVUA-AABBVEVWUA-CUYVEAZDY-B-U&_rdoc=1&_fmt=summary&_udi=B6TBX-4HHWWG7-1&_coverDate=11%2F10%2F2005&_cdi=5154&_orig=search&_st=13&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=139cf5d145aa564238f30137d2f85e97

Link to Reuters article (Thanks, Gabe Adiv!)
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20051129/od_uk_nm/oukoe_uk_love_molecule;_ylt=Ag2VQ7dbbF1zSYL4DHvVmR8DW7oF;_ylu=X3oDMTBiMW04NW9mBHNlYwMlJVRPUCUl

posted by David Pescovitz at 07:50:37 PM permalink | Other blogs commenting on this post

as in, i suspect that it is present in high quantities in many situations where one's worldview is shifting.

major trauma, drama, or stress situations might show similar elevated levels of ngf. "early romantic love" would probably just be one particular example of such a situation.

moreover, it's probably a symptom of love rather than a cause of it. i.e., getting an injection of ngf might not make you fall in love.


interesting stuff nonetheless.

on my last nerve' growth factor?