CortiLove: Hair steroids as indicators of falling in love and breaking up?

Background: Infatuation and separation as pivotal moments in romantic relationships have a profound impact on psychological, but also physiological well-being. Nevertheless, these stressful phases, especially with regard to physiological parameters, have only been scarcely researched. In particular, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis with its central effector hormones cortisol, as well as progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) vital for experiencing of and coping with distress could play an important role. Thus, the aim of the current study was to assess self-report and endocrine parameters of distress during acute infatuation and separation.
Methods: In female subjects in phases of infatuation (n = 16), separation (n = 14), long-term relationships (n = 40), and singlehood (n = 31) subjective distress and self-regulation capacities were measured and hair samples for the assessment of the cumulative cortisol, progesterone, and DHEA secretion over the last month were obtained.
Results: While with respect to self-reported distress, only separated women showed increases, separated, infatuated and single women had higher cortisol levels compared to women in a long-term relationship (all p ≤ .031). No group differences for progesterone were observed (p = .602), but higher DHEA levels were detected in the separation (p = .009) and the single (p = .016) compared to the long-term relationship group.
Conclusion: Compared to individuals in long-term relationships, the other groups exhibited higher levels of physiological, but not necessarily self-reported distress. The results underline the importance of combining physiological and self-report indicators of distress in the context of romantic love, but also psychological research in general.