JLVernonPhD presents "American SciCo"

Throughout our lives we experience many special kisses; a first kiss, a first passionate kiss, a wedding kiss, a goodbye kiss.  Though only certain first kisses lead to passionate kisses and ultimately wedding kisses, it is the first kiss that makes each of the subsequent kisses possible.  Through this affectionate act, we share a piece of ourselves.  Some say we transfer a piece of our heart and, though this may be true metaphorically, we also transfer a part of our bodies.

With each kiss, we send a signal to the subject of our affection that we are willing to temporarily form a union, body to body, with them.  We also share that which makes us human.  When our lips make contact with another’s, no matter how delicate or passionate, we exchange a small portion of our cells, and with that, some of our DNA, RNA and proteins.  In addition, the proximity with which we find ourselves with our loved ones allows us to detect the simplest cues of their genetic makeup, the history behind their bloodline, the potential for their reproductive success.  From these subtle hints, we create within our minds an assessment of their compatibility with our own genetic composition.  

In some cases, it’s a near miss.  Something just didn’t click.  We actually use the phrase, “there just wasn’t any chemistry.”  And, while most are referring to a less scientific meaning of the word, it is truly chemistry that often determines our likelihood of forming a greater bond with this person.  For when the chemistry is right, when the kiss deepens, our hearts begin to race and a glimmer of sweat appears on the surface of our skin, the results can be quite overwhelming.       

In a recent article in the Washington Post, Sheril Kirshenbaum, author of the soon-to-be released book about kissing entitled “The Science of Kissing” explains,

“During a passionate kiss, our blood vessels dilate and our brains receive more oxygen than normal. Our breathing can become irregular and deepen. Our cheeks flush, our pulse quickens, and our pupils dilate (which may be one reason that so many of us close our eyes). A long, open-mouthed exchange allows us to sample another person’s taste, which can reveal clues about his or her health and fertility. Our tongues - covered with little bumps called papillae that feature our 9,000 to 10,000 taste buds - are ideally designed to gather such information.

When we kiss, all five of our senses are busy transmitting messages to our brain. Billions of nerve connections are firing away and distributing signals around our bodies. Eventually, these signals reach the somatosenory cortex, the region of the brain that processes feelings of touch, temperature, pain and more.

Our brains respond by producing chemicals that help us decide our next move. A good kiss can work like a drug, influencing the hormones and neurotransmitters coursing through our bodies. It can send two people on a natural high by stimulating pleasure centers in the brain. The feeling has much to do with a neurotransmitter called dopamine, which is responsible for craving and desire and associated with “falling in love.” When it’s really pumping, dopamine spurs us to take things further.

Kissing also promotes the “love hormone,” oxytocin, which works to maintain a special connection between two people; kissing can keep love alive when a relationship has survived decades, long after novelty has waned. In other words, kissing influences the uptake of hormones and neurotransmitters beyond our conscious control, and these signals play a huge part in how we feel about each other.” 

By penning her latest book, Kirshenbaum, has bequeathed upon us a deeper understanding of the meaning of kissing.  She details the evolutionary history of kissing and the cultural significance of this endearing act.  I have yet to read her soon-to-be released examination of one of our most enigmatic behaviors, but I enthusiastically anticipate its arrival from Amazon, as it has recently begun shipping.  If recent articles in Discover magazine and Redbook are any indication of the insight contained within the book, we shall all be more enriched for reading it.

To whet your appetite before the arrival of your copy, Kirshenbaum has also assembled a breathtaking gallery of kissing images from the natural and unnatural world on her Tumblr blog.