Freud came up with the term libido to describe the sum of all the human instincts related to love. In his view, there was a limited amount of this libidinal energy and it was important to use it wisely. Invest it in the wrong activities and you could end up with nothing to show for it. This notion of limits …
L-Dopa and the Fear Response
What causes us to be afraid, and how can we control it? Jonathan Silver, MD gives some insight about the role of L-Dopa in the fear response. L-Dopa is the precursor to the neurotransmitter dopamine. Recent studies have shown that the production of L-Dopa may induce an effect on the resurgence of fear in humans. Researchers further investigated this hypothesis …
Depressed Mothers and Oxytocin
Oxytocin is often brought up in conversations about childbirth. After childbirth, new mothers normally experience surges of oxytocin that increase feelings of maternal bonding, trust, and empathy. In addition to facilitating pair bonding, recent studies have shown oxytocin plays a greater role in mental health than originally thought. Low levels of oxytocin may be a phenomenon linked to depression. Maternal …