Smitten

You Actually Can Be "Drunk in Love," Says Science

Beyoncé was onto something more than just meme-worthy lyrics when she belted out "Drunk in Love." A new study, published in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, shows the physical effects of love and alcohol have nearly identical effects on our neurological behavior. In other words, being drunk and being in love are basically the same as far as our brains know. Tipsy on love, that's all... The culprit is the hormone released when you're in love, oxytocin, which we've written about before. "We pooled existing research into the effects of both oxytocin and alcohol and were struck by the incredible similarities between the two compounds," Ian Mitchell, D.Phil., one of the University of Birmingham researchers involved in the study, said in a press release. While oxytocin and alcohol target different reactions in certain parts of our brains, they also cause similar reactions in our prefrontal cortexes and limbic structures, the areas of our brains that control stress and anxiety. Therefore, both a glass of vino and a romantic interest can make your life less anxious and stress-filled. "The idea of 'Dutch courage'—having a drink to overcome nerves—is used to battle those immediate obstacles of fear and anxiety," explains Steven

Beyoncé was onto something more than just meme-worthy lyrics when she belted out "Drunk in Love." A new study, published in the journal Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews, shows the physical effects of love and alcohol have nearly identical effects on our neurological behavior. In other words, being drunk and being in love are basically the same as far as our brains know.

Tipsy on love, that's all...

*The culprit is the hormone released when you're in love, oxytocin, which we've written about before. "We pooled existing research into the effects of both oxytocin and alcohol and were struck by the incredible similarities between the two compounds," Ian Mitchell, D.Phil., one of the University of Birmingham researchers involved in the study, said in a press release. *

While oxytocin and alcohol target different reactions in certain parts of our brains, they also cause similar reactions in our prefrontal cortexes and limbic structures, the areas of our brains that control stress and anxiety. Therefore, both a glass of vino and a romantic interest can make your life less anxious and stress-filled.

"The idea of 'Dutch courage'—having a drink to overcome nerves—is used to battle those immediate obstacles of fear and anxiety," explains Steven Gillespie, Ph.D., another researcher, in the release. "Oxytocin appears to mirror these effects in the lab."