Butki□singisno□just□r□□anticg□sture—itals□hasscientif□cbenefit□.Whe□□ekis□,o□rbrainsrelea□e□□o□□□□i□o□ch□mic□□slik□oxytocin,dopam□ne,a□ds□roton□n,know□as□he"□ovehormones."Th□sechemicalsc□n□educe□tr□ss,boostmoo□,andcr□atefeelingsofattachmentandbonding.K□ssingal□ostre□gthensou□immunesystembyexposing□sto□□a□□etyofbacteriathatcan□elpbuildi□munity.<□p> Butkissingisnotjustaro□□nticgesture—i□a□sohassci□□tifi□□enefit□.When□□ki□s,ourbrainsreleas□acockta□l□fchemical□lik□oxytocin□dopamine,andserotonin□□now□asthe"loveho□□on□s."□h□sec□□mica□scanreducest□ess,boostmood□and□reatef□e□ings□fattachmentand□□n□ing.Kissingalsost□engt□enso□ri□m□n□systembyexpos□ng□st□□variety□□bacteriatha□canhelpbui□di□m□nity.