Relationship Success Determined the ‘Love Hormone’



It may no longer be a scientific mystery why some people fall in love, while others live the life of a bachelor, or why some make friends easily, while others struggle to fit in. According to a recent study, the answer may lie in our genetic make-up. If other brain disorders and chemical imbalances can be passed down genetically, maybe the trait of being ‘un-lucky in love’ can be inherited as well.

The new research shows that having low levels of oxytocin-linked DNA can affect the quality of our relationships – socially and romantically.

Some people have high levels of the ‘love hormone’ and some people do not. The OXT gene produces oxytocin, which can assist with several social behavioral skills like picking up on emotional and social cues in the face, and thinking of others.  The gene literally produces the oxytocin that sends these social cues to the brain. Without it, the cues do not compute.

In a study at The University of Georgia, 120 people were genetically tested for social skills, brain function and brain structure. This early research trial showed that people with a lower level of OXT often struggled to recognize emotions in the faces of others and tended to have more anxiety about their social and love relationships in general. Low level OXT participants also had less brain activity linked to social thinking, and less gray matter in the region of the brain that processes facial expression and social behavior. In other words, they did not experience ease and comfort when it came to social life and relationships.

Conversely, people with a higher level of the ‘love hormone’ showed less relationship issues and social anxiety.

So is the success of our social life and romantic relationships determined by a single gene? The data collection was too small and the findings too early to make any concrete determinations, but researchers, led by author Brian Haas, a professor of psychology, hope that this discovery could lead to more effective treatment and medication for social disorders like anxiety and depression. They may not be able to know how important of a role OXT plays yet in social behavior and brain function, but it most definitely plays a part.


Future studies will indicate if our ability to love is ‘written in the stars,’ or more literally in our genes, or if it is merely a factor in how we process social cues and relationships.