The Biology of Love

"Janov maintains that prenatal experiences and birth trauma are imprinted on our nervous systems, and if this crucial period of life is beset by trouble and stress, whether mental or physical, the deep-seated effects can result in psychological problems or psychosomatic diseases later in life. By the same token, lack of love after birth, when the infant needs the touch of loving caresses, can be as injurious to the healthy development of intelligence and personality as lack of food. Janov cites scientific evidence to demonstrate how the formation of the nervous system, especially the complex neural connections of the brain and the hormones that enhance them, can be influenced by the presence or absence of a loving, nurturing environment, both before and after birth."—Jacket.