# Butterflies in the stomach Indicate emotional arousal (positive or not). Those can cause stress responses (e.g., anxiety/excitement for a first date). When it happens, the [[Hypothalamus]] produces a hormone called [[Corticotropin-Releasing Factor (CRF)]] Human stress response is central to the initial stages of a relationship - Falling in love is related to our response to emotions, which are regulated by the autonomic nervous system - The [[Autonomic nervous system]] is associated with the formation of attachment bonds through the brain's release of [[Oxytocin]] - The [[Vagus nerve]] plays a role in emotional regulation via the heart rate - The stress response, especially the production of cortisol, is highly sensitive to social situations, especially ones we deem important, don’t have control over, or in which we feel evaluated — Evelyn mercado, post-doctoral fellow in psychology at UCLA - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6135532/ - Stress is there to help us adapt. Either in the face of danger, or in the face of positive challenges. It's not all bad Over time, as a relationship evolves, the levels of cortisol production decrease when we see our partner. We feel more relaxed. #todo explore research paper: I love you from the bottom of my hypothalamus: The role of stress physiology in romantic pair bond formation and maintenance ## References - https://www.thestar.com/life/2017/08/15/what-do-butterflies-in-the-stomach-mean.html