Paragraph 1
Writers of novels and songs have for
claimed that love is a drug. Scientists have now gone a
further to prove this
. They conducted tests on the romantic relationships among prairie voles. Different
of the mouse-like rodents were tested for levels of dopamine - a neuro-transmitter that plays a
in our seeking pleasure and a craving for
things. It can provide an intense feeling of
. The researchers found that the voles released large
of dopamine when they were physically with their "
partner". Researcher Dr Zoe Donaldson said parts of the voles' brains lit up "like a glow stick" when they were reunited with their
, and dimmed when with unknown voles.
