Love hormone could be key to friendship

Breakthroughs, discoveries, and DIY tips sent every weekday. When the brain releases oxytocin during sex, childbirth, breastfeeding, and social interactions, the hormone supports strong feelings such as attachment, trust, and closeness. That's why oxytocin is frequently nicknamed the love, cuddle, or happy hormone--even though it's also linked with aggression. To continue investigating the biological role of oxytocin, a team of researchers studied it with scientist's poster species for love and friendship, the prairie vole (Microtus ochrogaster). The small rodents found throughout central North America have bonds that are "similar to human friendships in the sense that they are selective and long-lasting. Voles form strong, stable bonds with specific peers," Markita Landry, a chemist from the University of California (UC), Berkeley, tells Popular Science.