A study of 28 first-time moms revealed that seeing pictures of their babies' smiles activated parts of the brain that signals a hormone called dopamine. When a mother sees their baby smile, they get a rush of dopamine, the same chemical rush that occurs when people use cocaine or nicotine. The study helps explain how the brain fosters maternal devotion, effectively making mothers addicted to their babies. An excerpt from the article explains the other side of things:

The study may also shed light on postpartum depression, which affects one in 10 new mothers, says Louann Brizendine, a neuropsychiatrist at the University of California-San Francisco who was not involved in the study. In depressed women, dopamine levels may be too low for women to respond to their babies, Brizendine says. Antidepressants, which replenish dopamine levels, often help these women.

The results of this study are interesting, but it is only with 28 mothers. But seriously, those little dimpled baby cheeks are too cute not to get you high. Click here to read the full article.

Labels: kids, parenting, study, women