Love is often described as heartwarming, heart-wrenching, and even heartbreaking.

「愛」常被形容為暖心、揪心，甚至令人心碎。

So, what does the brain have to do with it?

那麼，頭腦跟它有什麼關係呢？

Everything.

一切都有相關。

The journey from first spark to last tear is guided by a symphony of neurochemicals and brain systems.

從第一絲火花到最後一滴眼的旅程是由神經化學物質以及腦部系統譜出的交響曲所引導。

As you begin to fall for someone,

隨著你開始愛上某人的過程，

you may find yourself excessively daydreaming about them and wanting to spend more and more time together.

你可能發現自己頻繁地做著跟對方相關的白日夢，並希望更他共度更多的時間。

This first stage of love is what psychologists call "infatuation", or passionate love.

愛的第一階段是心理學家所謂的「著迷」，或是熱情的愛。

Your new relationship can feel almost intoxicating.

新一段感情的感覺可能近乎醉人。

And when it comes to the brain, that's not far from the truth.

而談到人腦，那跟真實的差距不遠。

Infatuated individuals show increased activation in the ventral tegmental area.

著迷者的腦部腹側被蓋區（VTA）會顯示提升的活躍度。

The VTA is the reward-processing and motivation hub of the brain,

VTA 是腦中處理酬賞行為以及動機的中心，

firing when you do things like eat a sweet treat, quench your thirst, or, in more extreme cases, take drugs of abuse.

當你吃甜食、止渴，或在吸食禁藥時的極端案例中，都會被激發。

Activation releases the feel-good neurotransmitter, dopamine, teaching your brain to repeat behaviors in anticipation of receiving the same initial reward.

這種活躍會釋放讓感覺良好的神經傳遞素多巴胺，教你的頭腦重複同樣行為以期望獲得相同的初始獎勵。

This increased VTA activity is the reason love's not only euphoric, but also draws you towards your new partner.

增加的 VTA 活動不只是愛情讓人亢奮的原因，也會讓你受新伴侶吸引。

At this first stage, it may be hard to see any faults in your new perfect partner.

在這第一階段，你可能很難從新的完美伴侶身上看到任何缺點。

This haze is thanks to love's influence on higher cortical brain regions.

這樣的盲目是多虧了愛情對腦部高皮層區的影響。

Some newly-infatuated individuals show decreased activity in the brain's cognitive center, the prefrontal cortex.

有些剛陷入熱戀的人，其腦部認知中心前額葉皮質會顯示較低的活動。

As activation of this region allows us to engage in critical thought and pass judgment,

因為這個區域的活躍讓我們能夠進行批判式思考以及下定評論，

it's not surprising we tend to see new relationships through rose-colored glasses.

我們傾向過度樂觀地看待新戀情的行為就不令人意外了。（譯註：rose-colored 表玫瑰色的，形容看事情的角度「過於樂觀、太過美好」，忽略了問題而顯得不切實際。）

While this first stage of love can be an intense rollercoaster of emotions and brain activity,

雖然愛情這第一個階段可能充滿強烈的情感與腦活動起伏，

it typically only lasts a few months, making way for the more long-lasting stage of love known as "attachment", or compassionate love.

它一般只會持續幾個月，被稱為「依附」或友伴式愛情這個較持久的戀愛階段所取代。

As your relationship develops, you may feel more relaxed and committed to your partner, thanks, in large part, to two hormones: oxytocin and vasopressin.

隨著你戀情的發展，你可能開始感到更放鬆，也對伴侶有更多承諾，這多半歸功於兩種賀爾蒙：催產素和血管加壓素。

Known as pair-bonding hormones, they signal trust, feelings of social support, and attachment.

以「伴侶連結賀爾蒙」著稱的它們會釋放信任、社交支持感以及依附感等訊號。

In this way, romantic love is not unlike other forms of love, as these hormones also help bond families and friendships.

就這個角度來看，浪漫愛情跟其它形式的愛沒有不同，因為這些賀爾蒙也會連結親情與友情。

Further, oxytocin can inhibit the release of stress hormones, which is why spending time with a loved one can feel so relaxing.

此外，催產素可以抑制壓力賀爾蒙的釋放，這也是與所愛之人相處可以如此令人放鬆的原因。

As early love's suspension of judgment fades, it can be replaced by a more honest understanding and deeper connection.

隨著早期愛情暫停批判的逝去，它可以被更誠實的理解以及更深入的連結取代。

Alternatively, as your rose-colored glasses begin to lose their tint, problems in your relationship may become more evident.

作為替代可能的是，隨著你玫瑰色濾鏡開始失去色彩，你感情中的問題可能會變得更明顯。

No matter the reason a relationship ends, we can blame the aching pain that accompanies heartbreak on the brain.

不管感情結束的原因為何，我們可以將伴隨心碎而來的痛楚歸咎給頭腦。

The distress of a breakup activates the insular cortex, a region that processes pain—both physical, like spraining your ankle, as well as social, like the feelings of rejection.

分手的痛楚會激發腦島皮質，這個區域專門處理像是扭傷腳踝的身體疼痛以及受拒感的社交痛苦。

As days pass, you may find yourself, once again, daydreaming about or craving contact with your lost partner.

隨著一天天過去，你可能發現自己再次做與分手伴侶相關的白日夢或是渴望與他聯絡。

The drive to reach out may feel overwhelming, like an extreme hunger or thirst.

想要聯繫的衝動可能讓你感到無法承受，就像極度飢餓或是飢渴一樣。

When looking at photos of a former partner,

當看著前任的照片時，

heartbroken individuals, again, show increased activity in the VTA, the motivation and reward center that drove feelings of longing during the initial stages of the relationship.

心碎的人會再次出現提升的 VTA 活動，也就是驅策感情初階渴望感的動機與酬賞中心。

This emotional whirlwind also likely activates your body's alarm system, the stress axis, leaving you feeling shaken and restless.

這樣的情感波動也可能啟動你體內的警示系統，也就是壓力軸，讓你最終感到動搖與不安。

As time goes on, higher cortical regions⏤which oversee reasoning and impulse control⏤can pump the brakes on this distress and craving signaling.

隨著時光流逝，控管理智和衝動的腦部高皮層區可以踩下苦惱和渴望徵兆的煞車。

Given that these regions are still maturing and making connections through adolescence,

有鑒於這些區域在青少年時期仍然在持續成熟並建構連結，

it's no wonder that first heartbreak can feel particularly agonizing.

也難怪第一次的心碎會讓人感到特別痛苦。

Activities like exercise, spending time with friends, or even listening to your favorite song can tame this heartbreak stress response,

像是運動、花時間與朋友相處，甚或聆聽你最愛的歌曲等活動都可以馴服這心碎壓力反應，

while also triggering the release of feel-good neurotransmitter, dopamine.

與此同時，也誘發感覺良好神經傳遞素多巴胺的釋放。

And given time and the support, most can heal and learn from even the most devastating heartbreak.

在獲得足夠時間與支持後，無論心碎多麽絕望，多數人都可以痊癒並從中學習。

Did you know that you spend a third to half of your day daydreaming?

你知道你一天會花三分之一到一半以上的時間做白日夢嗎？

And, according to scientists, that may be a good thing.

而根據科學家們所說，那可能是件好事。

Learn how boredom impacts your brain with this video, or watch this video to learn about what happens to your brain⏤not your body⏤as you get older.

透過這部影片學習無聊感會如何影響頭腦，或是觀看這部影片以了解隨著年齡增長，你的腦部（不是身體）會發生什麼事。