Nature & Nurture #137: Dr. Larry Young - Hormones & Sexual Behavior Across Species The Nature & Nurture Podcast

Dr. Larry Young is the William P. Timmie Professor of Psychiatry at Emory School of Medicine, where he directs the Center for Translational Social Neuroscience and the Silvio O. Conte Center for Oxytocin and Social Cognition at Emory University. He is the author of The Chemistry Between Us: Love, Sex, and the Science of Attraction explores the latest discoveries of how brain chemistry influences all aspects of our relationships with others. Dr. Young’s research focuses on the role of oxytocin and vasopressin in mediating social bonding and sexual behavior across a wide range of species, with emphasis on understanding the evolution and neural circuit mechanisms underlying love, attachment, and social bonding in humans.

00:27 A Childhood Fascination with Animal Behavior

01:11 From Biochemistry to Behavioral Biology: A Scientist's Journey

02:14 Exploring the Sexual Behavior of Lizards

05:25 The Red Queen Hypothesis and Evolutionary Biology

08:02 Diving into Human Hormones and Brain Development

08:58 The Complex World of Gender and Sexuality in Nature

15:14 Unraveling the Mysteries of Love and Bonding in Voles

18:42 Oxytocin: The Hormone of Birth, Bonding, and Beyond

22:06 The Science of Touch and Social Connection

26:59 Understanding Love as a Form of Addiction

30:08 The Impact of Losing a Partner on Prairie Voles

31:56 Exploring Love and Addiction Through Oxytocin Studies

32:27 Debating Love: Chemical Reaction or More?

34:09 The Science of Attraction: Oxytocin's Role

37:01 Understanding Love and Bonding Across Species

41:28 The Intricacies of Sexual Behavior and Attraction

47:42 The Evolutionary Mechanisms of Mating and Bonding

59:41 Utilizing Science to Strengthen Relationships