Scientific American Book of Love, Sex and the Brain - The Neuroscience of How, When, Why and Who We Love

Informationen zum Autor Judith Horstman is the author of The Scientific American Day in the Life of Your Brain and The Scientific American Brave New Brain! copublished with Scientific American. She's an award-winning science journalist whose work has been widely published and is the author of four other books. Visit her Web site at www.JudithHorstman.com Scientific American is one of the most popular science magazines in the world. Klappentext A fascinating look at how the brain controls our relationships and romancesNeuroscientists, psychologists, and most men and women readers today have learned that the brain is Grand Central Station for our most erotic associations, memories, and secret desires. The latest c research shows that the popular myth is true: Sexual orientation and identity is hard-wired, the result of our neurological predisposition, not a choice or result of socialization. We instinctively crave connection and relationship as an essential part of our well-being, self-esteem, and pleasure. The process of achieving and recovering from orgasm ignites the same pleasure centers in the brain as exercise, music, religion, food, alcohol, and drugs. Sexual desire can be triggered by a thought, a smell, a touch, or the sight of an object of desire. These sensorium are located at different parts of the brain, and can be activated indefinitely into our senior years.* Filled with little known and fascinating information about the brain* The third Scientific American book in the series about the brainThe core science and latest research is drawn from the prestigious Scientific American and Scientific American Mind magazines. Zusammenfassung A fascinating look at how the brain controls our relationships and romancesNeuroscientists, psychologists, and most men and women readers today have learned that the brain is Grand Central Station for our most erotic associations, memories, and secret desires. The latest c research shows that the popular myth is true: Sexual orientation and identity is hard-wired, the result of our neurological predisposition, not a choice or result of socialization. We instinctively crave connection and relationship as an essential part of our well-being, self-esteem, and pleasure. The process of achieving and recovering from orgasm ignites the same pleasure centers in the brain as exercise, music, religion, food, alcohol, and drugs. Sexual desire can be triggered by a thought, a smell, a touch, or the sight of an object of desire. These sensorium are located at different parts of the brain, and can be activated indefinitely into our senior years.* Filled with little known and fascinating information about the brain* The third Scientific American book in the series about the brainThe core science and latest research is drawn from the prestigious Scientific American and Scientific American Mind magazines. Inhaltsverzeichnis 20443051 ...

List of contents

Acknowledgments
Preface: Who Do You Love?

Introduction: What Is This Thing Called Love?

So What Is Love?

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing-and the Greeks Had a Word for Them All

The Basics Of Your Brain In Love And Sex

I ve Got You Under My Skull: Love in Your Brain

You Make Me Feel So Good: The Pleasure Center

The Very Thought of You

How Scientists Research Love and Sex in Your Brain

Chapter 1: Born to Love: Why People Need People

Do You See What I See? How Mirror Neurons Connect Us

The Dangers of Involuntary Mind Merging

The Chemistry of Love

Love Is Everywhere: Where Love Grows in the Brain

A Brain Unable to Love: Inside the Brain of a Psychopath

Baby Face, You've Got the Cutest Little Baby Face

Chapter 2: Learning to Love

How Your Parents Affect Your Love Life

Love at First Sight: The Earliest Lessons in Love

If You Could Read My Mind; Moms Do

A Mother's Everlasting Love

How Parenting Primes Your Brain for Love

Parenting Rewires the Daddy Brain as Well

How Father Love Feeds Both Brains

Postpartum Depression: Misery for Mom and Baby

Loving the One Who Hurts You: Why Children Cling to Abusers.

What If Things Went Wrong with That First Love?

In the End: Do Parents Matter?

Chapter 3: His Brain, Her Brain, Gay Brain and Other Brains

How Real Are the Differences?

The Five Genders of the Brain

His Brain, Her Brain: The Geography

So What Does His Have to Do with Love?

Our Changeable Brains

Some Myths About Male and Female Brains: True or False?

Toujours Gay: The Gay Brain Is Born That Way.

Can Animals Be Gay? Better to Call It Bisexual

I Am What I Am

The Third Gender: When Gender and Sex Do Not Align

Are There Asexuals Among Us? On the Possibility of a Fourth Sexual Orientation

Chapter 4: That Old Black Magic: Your Brain in Love

How Love and Sex Are Good for Your Brain

When Love Occupies Your Brain

Who Do You Love? And Who Loves Ya, Baby?

You ve Got That Lovin Feeling, But What Turns You On?

You Go to My Nose: The Power of Smell over Sex

A Kiss Is (More Than) Just a Kiss

You Light Up My Brain

What s Love Got to Do with It? Plenty It Turns Out-for Women

Need Some Love Potion? Try a Bit of Oxytocin Spray

I ll Have What She s Having: What Makes a Better Female Orgasm?

Does the Penis Have a Brain of Its Own?

When Things Go Wrong: A Fine Romance

Chapter 5: Friendship, Such a Perfect Blendship: Or: or: With a Little Help from My Friends

Is Friendship Declining?

Are You Lonesome Tonight? 60 Million Other Americans Are

You've Got a Friend--or You Should!

Widening the Social Circle

Imaginary Friends: TV Characters Can Ease Your Pain

Until the Real Thing Comes Along: Your Brain on Facebook

Work, the "Other Love" in Your Life

Can Animals Love? Yes, and More

How to Make Friends

Chapter 6: Only You Can Make My Dreams Come True: Let's Get Married

Grow Old Along with Me: The Marriage Benefits

You Make Me Feel So Good: Romance Lowers Stress

Finding That Special Someone: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places?

Falling and Staying in Love

I've Grown Accustomed to Your Face

My One and Only Love: Are We Monogamous?

Granny's Got to Have It

Your Hormones May Drive You Apart: A Tough Pill to Swallow

Making Love Last: I Get a Kick out of You.

Can Pornography Help Your Love Life?

Love Will Keep Us Together. Lasting Romance Is Embossed in the Brain

Will You Still Need Me When I'm 64?

Chapter 7: You ve Lost That Lovin Feelin : When Love Dies

Breaking Up Is Hard to Do: How Rejection Affects Your Brain

The Jilted Brain

After the Love Is Gone--You Ache and Ache

Can't Live If Living Is Without You: The Widowhood Effect

Achy Breaky Heart: Can You Die of a Broken Heart?

Ain t No Cure for Love--But Tylenol Could Help

Every Time You Say Good-Bye, I Die a Little: Why It Hurts to Be Away from Your Lover

Broken Promises

About the author

Judith Horstman is the author of The Scientific American Day in the Life of Your Brain and The Scientific American Brave New Brain, copublished with Scientific American. She's an award-winning science journalist whose work has been widely published and is the author of four other books.

Summary

How the latest discoveries in neuroscience reveal the moment to moment dynamics in our brain that inspires love and sexual desire. What stimulates us, turns us off, causes anxiety, elation, depression or stress in our most intimate relationships - and how to manage these powerful feelings.

Report

"This basic introduction to the neuroscience of love and sex is a good starting place for readers new to the subject...one hopes it will whet readers appetites for more nuanced explorations of this area of research." ( Library Journal , April 2012)

Product details

• Authors: Horstman, Judith Horstman, Horstman Judith, Scientific Amer, Scientific American, Judith Scientific American Horstman, Scientific American Magazine
• Assisted by: Scientific American Magazine (Editor)
• Publisher: Wiley, John and Sons Ltd
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 07.12.2011
• EAN: 9780470647783
• ISBN: 978-0-470-64778-3
• Series: Scientific American; Scientific American
• Subjects: Guides > Health; Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Miscellaneous; Non-fiction book > Psychology, esoterics, spirituality, anthroposophy > Applied psychology; Neurowissenschaften, Life Sciences, Neuroscience, Biowissenschaften, SELF-HELP / Personal Growth / General, MEDICAL / Neurology, Neurology and clinical neurophysiology