Jaroslava Babková

Love as a complex interplay of emotions and behaviors is underpinned by an intricate network of neurobiological mechanisms. This review provides insight into the molecular basis of love, focusing on the role of key hormones and neuromodulators. The aim of the paper is to report how these biochemical messengers influence various aspects of love, including attraction, attachment, and long-term bonding. By examining the effects of hormones such as dopamine, oxytocin, vasopressin, and serotonin, we aim to elucidate the intricate relationship between biology and behavior. Additionally, the potential impact of modern lifestyle factors on hormonal balance and their subsequent influence on love and social interactions are outlined. This review provides a useful overview of the molecular underpinnings of love, offering insights into the biological mechanisms that shape human relationships.

Arginine vasopressin (AVP) is a neuropeptide whose dysregulation has previously been associated with symptom severity in children with Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), theory of mind (ToM) deficits as well as problems with memory consolidation. However, AVP is rarely measured because of its short half-life and laborious method of detection. Copeptin is a more stable peptide derived from the same precursor molecule and considered a reliable surrogate marker of AVP. The goal of this study was to analyze copeptin levels in children with ASD and to investigate the relationships to their symptom severity, ToM and intellect. Our research sample consisted of 49 children with ASD, 40 boys and 9 girls, aged 6–12 years, in the IQ range of 70–132. Participants were diagnosed at the Academic Research Center for Autism at the Institute of Physiology on the Faculty of Medicine of Comenius University, using ADOS-2 and ADI-R. We used the comic strip task to measure ToM and Woodcock-Johnson International Editions II to assess cognitive abilities of participants. Plasma copeptin levels were evaluated by the ELISA method. Based on the results of Spearman’s correlation coefficient, we identified moderately strong correlations between copeptin concentrations and the restricted, repetitive, and stereotyped patterns of behavior, creativity, thinking ability, memory for names and to a ToM subscale Intentions, but not with overall ToM. Our findings provide evidence of relationships between plasmatic copeptin, a surrogate marker of AVP, and certain behavioral characteristics of children with ASD, in which the involvement of AVP has been assumed.

Objective Purpose of the study was to identify the relationship among actual plasmatic levels of steroid hormones and behavioral manifestations in boys with autism and to assess the genetic contribution to these manifestations.Methods 172 boys with autism under 10 years of age and 135 neurotypical boys attended the study. ADI-R and ADOS-2 were used to evaluate the core symptom severities. Problem behavior was assessed using BPI-01 questionnaire. Levels of testosterone, estradiol, dehydroepiandrosterone, dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate and sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) were measured in plasma of autistic boys. Three SNPs (in ESR1, SHBG, SRD5A2 genes) and one STR in AR gene (number of CAG repeats in first exon) were assessed. Hormonal levels and number of CAG repeats in AR gene were used for correlation analysis with behavioral measures. Genotype and allelic frequencies were compared among autistic and neurotypical boys.Results We found negative relationship among SHBG levels and restricted, repetitive behaviors (measured by ADOS-2) and positive relationship among actual testosterone levels and frequency of stereotyped behavior (measured by BPI-01).Conclusion Actual levels of SHBG and testosterone are related to severities of restricted and repetitive behaviors in boys with autism. Mechanisms of action of these hormones in brain require further investigation.

Testosterone has been widely investigated in associations with many aspects of social interactions, emotions and behavior. No research has been conducted on its contribution to the variability of love styles in human. The aim of this paper was to uncover the possible relationship between not only the actual plasma testosterone levels, but also the prenatal testosterone level (expressed as 2D:4D ratio) and the sensitivity of androgen receptor and love typology in young healthy men. There are six love styles which are primary including Eros (passionate romantic love), Ludus (playful) and Storge (friendly) and secondary love consisting of Mania (obsessive), Pragma (practical realistic) and Agape (altruistic). Our results pointed out that low testosterone concentrations are associated with higher score for Eros, Ludus, Pragma, Mania love style. No significant association was proved for other tested parameters of androgenicity (2D:4D, sensitivity of androgen receptor) and love style after correction was applied. Different attitudes and behavior in relationships do have a biological foundation related to endogenous testosterone levels in plasma. Future studies should address questions about the family and social background of participants to differentiate here between moral rules or/and social-conventional rules.

The extraordinary giftedness is apparently a unique manifestation of a mutual interconnection between genes and environment. One of the possible etiological factors of intellectual giftedness is testosterone which is believed to affect the brain organization and function. The aim of our study was to analyze associations between 2D:4D digit ratio (a proxy of prenatal testosterone) and/or salivary testosterone levels with non-verbal IQ in intellectually gifted girls. Fifty-one girls with an age range of 10 to18 years and IQ scores higher than 130 were tested. Saliva samples were collected to obtain levels of salivary testosterone. 2D:4D digit ratio was measured on both hands as an indicator of prenatal testosterone. IQ parameters were assessed employing standardized set of tests. The CAG repeat polymorphism in exon 1 of the androgen receptor gene was analyzed to assess the sensitivity of androgen receptor. Testing of between-subjects effects proved significant interactions between right and left 2D:4D ratio, genetic variability in androgen receptor, and also salivary testosterone level with non-verbal IQ in gifted girls. Our results point out that the variability in parameters of androgenicity contributes to the variability of nonverbal IQ in gifted girls. However, the exact molecular mechanism of how testosterone acts on the brain and affects this cognitive domain remains still unclear.

Autism Spectrum Conditions (ASC) are a group of developmental conditions which affect communication, social interactions and behaviour. Mitochondrial oxidative dysfunction has been suggested as a mechanism of autism based on the results of multiple genetic association and expression studies. SLC25A12 is a gene encoding a calcium-binding carrier protein that localizes to the mitochondria and is involved in the exchange of aspartate for glutamate in the inner membrane of the mitochondria regulating the cytosolic redox state. rs2056202 SNP in this gene has previously been associated with ASC. SNPs rs6716901 and rs3765166 analysed in this study have not been previously explored in association with AS.