From its origins, human attachment has always been viewed as a primary, biologically-based phenomenon with strong evolutionary roots. The last few decades have seen a large increase in research studies from developmental science and neighbouring disciplines that attest the role of biology in attachment processes. This review aims to provide a concise and up-to-date summary of research on the biological bases of attachment throughout the lifespan. We review the role of genetics, physiology ‒ focusing on oxytocin and cortisol ‒ and brain mechanisms that underlie attachment behaviour and its consequences. Findings are complex in that they often do not apply equally to all patterns of attachment, to all ages, or all temperament styles, among other factors. In addition, some important evidence is indirect, coming from studies that investigate the impact of variations in caregiving quality, such as differences in maltreatment and separation from caregiving figures, and on biology, and vice versa, rather than looking at differences in attachment per se, which complicates their interpretation. Implications for practice are raised throughout.

中文翻译：

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依恋的生物学基础

从起源开始，人类依恋一直被视为具有强大进化根源的主要、基于生物学的现象。在过去的几十年里，来自发育科学和邻近学科的研究大量增加，这些研究证明了生物学在依恋过程中的作用。本综述旨在对整个生命周期内依恋的生物学基础的研究提供简明和最新的总结。我们回顾了遗传学、生理学的作用——侧重于催产素和皮质醇——以及作为依恋行为及其后果基础的大脑机制。调查结果很复杂，因为它们通常不适用于所有依恋模式、所有年龄或所有气质风格，以及其他因素。此外，一些重要的证据是间接的，来自调查护理质量差异影响的研究，例如虐待和与护理人员分离的差异，以及生物学，反之亦然，而不是关注依恋本身的差异，这使他们的解释变得复杂。对实践的影响贯穿始终。