You know I’ve always been super interested in the science behind how we bond with our significant others. Standard training in neuro/cognitive science is often very brain-centric, just focusing on what’s happening in the brain. But recently, there’s a growing trend to shift into a more ‘embodied’ perspective. One example is the appetite to study this gut‐brain axis and how your gut microbiome plays a super important role in what makes us ‘us’ – in how we feel, think, and behave.

There’s this recent buzz that your gut is like your ‘second brain’ (and apparently, the third one is your heart, because we’ve got so many nerves there connecting to the brain).

The microbiome in your gut is busy synthesizing neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and GABA. And these neurotransmitters directly influence our ANS (autonomic nervous system – encompassing both the fight & flight and rest & digest systems), for instance, through the vagus nerve.

The ANS plays a big role in how we feel inside, known as our “interoception.” Whether we generally feel well or are just not in a good state overall. Interoception is the basis of affect, the main ingredient in constructing our emotions.

What’s new to me is looking at emotional bonding between you and your loved ones through this gut microbiome lens. Turns out, folks who cohabitate end up having more similar stuff going on in their gut microbiome. It’s not just about sharing a fridge or a couch, but a lot about surface touch – the good old skin-to-skin contact. That’s how you transfer microbiota to each other. Did you know that you can even share those microbiota with your pet?

No wonder the longer we stick with someone, the more our bodies vibe together. You and your significant other might somehow be connected through this shared composition of the microbiome.

These microbiome connections might explain why, oftentimes, it feels like you’re inseparable, and being physically apart can actually feel like it physically hurts. You can almost feel it in your gut.

The science here is still pretty new. We don’t have the answers yet about how exactly our gut microbiome ties into those heartwarming bonds we have with our loved ones. We’re just at the beginning, really. But isn’t it exciting? I’m super curious to see what new discoveries will come out in this area of research.