The DOI matches its Crossref record; 27 of the 27 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Alteration of the platelet serotonin transporter in romantic love
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The evolutionary consequences of love are so important that there must be some long-established biological process regulating it. Recent findings suggest that the serotonin (5-HT) transporter might be linked to both neuroticism and sexual behaviour as well as to obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). The similarities between an overvalued idea, such as that typical of subjects in the early phase of a love relationship, and obsession, prompted us to explore the possibility that the two conditions might share alterations at the level of the 5-HT transporter. METHODS: Twenty subjects who had recently (within the previous 6 months) fallen in love, 20 unmedicated OCD patients and 20 normal controls, were included in the study. The 5-HT transporter was evaluated with the specific binding of 3H-paroxetine (3H-Par) to platelet membranes. RESULTS: The results showed that the density of 3H-Par binding sites was significantly lower in subjects who had recently fallen in love and in OCD patients than in controls. DISCUSSION: The main finding of the present study is that subjects who were in the early romantic phase of a love relationship were not different from OCD patients in terms of the density of the platelet 5-HT transporter, which proved to be significantly lower than in the normal controls. This would suggest common neurochemical changes involving the 5-HT system, linked to psychological dimensions shared by the two conditions, perhaps at an ideational level.
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“In addition, research has shown that the early stages of romantic love may be linked to alterations in plasma levels of cortisol, sex steroids, nerve growth factor (NGF), and brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (Marazziti et al., 2009), as well as decreased density of the serotonin transporter in platelets (Emanuele et al., 2006; Marazziti et al., 1999; Marazziti and Canale, 2004), suggesting”
From Oxytocin during the initial stages of romantic attachment: Relations to couples’ interactive reciprocity (2012) · cites this paper as Marazziti et al., 1999
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Cited by
Sorted by citations
Romantic love: a mammalian brain system for mate choice
Fisher, H. E., Aron, A., & Brown, L. L. (2006) · Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences · doi:10.1098/rstb.2006.1938 · Cited by 411
Schneiderman, I., Zagoory-Sharon, O., Leckman, J. F., & Feldman, R. (2012) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2011.12.021 · Cited by 333
“…neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (Marazziti et al., 2009), as well as decreased density of the serotonin transporter in platelets (Emanuele et al., 2006; Marazziti et al., 1999; Marazziti and Canale, 2004), suggesting that the initial period of romantic attachment is linked with neuroendocrine changes.”
Hormonal changes when falling in love
Marazziti, D., & Canale, D. (2003) · Psychoneuroendocrinology · doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2003.08.006 · Cited by 223
“The strong suggestion is that different mechanisms may be involved (Panksepp, 1982; Jankoviak, 1986; Hazan and Shaver, 1987; Fisher, 1992; Porges, 1998; Insel and Young, 1997) and it has been recently demonstrated that the intrusive thoughts of the early, romantic phase of a falling in love are underlaid by a decrease…”
BackgroundMethodFisher, H. E., Xu, X., Aron, A. P., & Brown, L. L. (2016) · Frontiers in Psychology · doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.00687 · Cited by 241
“However, in most species courtship attraction is brief, lasting only minutes, hours, days, or weeks; while in humans, intense, early stage romantic love can last 12–18 months (Marazziti et al., 1999) or much longer (Acevedo et al., 2011).”
BackgroundFisher, H. (2000) · Journal of Sex Education and Therapy · doi:10.1080/01614576.2000.11074334 · Cited by 159
Metadata
- Authors
- MARAZZITI, D., AKISKAL, H. S., ROSSI, A., & CASSANO, G. B.
- Affiliations
- University of Pisa (IT)
- Venue
- Psychological Medicine
- Publisher
- Cambridge University Press (CUP)
- Published
- 1999-05
- Volume
- 29
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 741-745
- ISSN
- 0033-2917 (ISSN-L)
- 1469-8978
- OpenAlex
- W2006411360
- Cited by
- 175
- References
- 27
- Citations by year
- 2026: 8 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 7 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 7 · 2017: 14 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 4 · 2012: 15
- FWCI
- 0.60
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychological Medicine (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience › Neurotransmitter Receptor Influence on Behavior
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Disorders
- Keywords
- platelet serotonin transporter, romantic love, obsessive-compulsive disorder, serotonergic system, overvalued ideas, obsession, neuroticism, sexual behavior, evolution of love
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Binding Sites, Biological Transport, Buffers, Female, Humans, Interpersonal Relations, Love, Male, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Serotonin, Sexual Behavior, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors, Paroxetine
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