In a study published in Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews and reported on by Vice Munchies, “a team from the University of Birmingham details the shared characteristics of these two chemicals, arguing that oxytocin’s reputation as the “love hormone” hides its “darker side.”
“Although the benefits of oxytocin are known—it reduces stress, increases empathetic and generous behavior, and is integral in childbirth, mother-child bonding, and social relationships—the University of Birmingham team argues that it is also tied to aggression, envy, competitiveness, and boastfulness. Kind of sounds like your buddy who can’t hold their liquor, doesn’t it?
“Both alcohol and oxytocin also reduce fear and anxiety, which might make us feel better but also lead us to make less advisable decisions when under their influence.”
Read the rest of the story over at Vice Munchies.