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Neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love
Open accessAbstract
The present study examined the neural correlates of long-term intense romantic love using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Ten women and 7 men married an average of 21.4 years underwent fMRI while viewing facial images of their partner. Control images included a highly familiar acquaintance; a close, long-term friend; and a low-familiar person. Effects specific to the intensely loved, long-term partner were found in: (i) areas of the dopamine-rich reward and basal ganglia system, such as the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and dorsal striatum, consistent with results from early-stage romantic love studies; and (ii) several regions implicated in maternal attachment, such as the globus pallidus (GP), substantia nigra, Raphe nucleus, thalamus, insular cortex, anterior cingulate and posterior cingulate. Correlations of neural activity in regions of interest with widely used questionnaires showed: (i) VTA and caudate responses correlated with romantic love scores and inclusion of other in the self; (ii) GP responses correlated with friendship-based love scores; (iii) hypothalamus and posterior hippocampus responses correlated with sexual frequency; and (iv) caudate, septum/fornix, posterior cingulate and posterior hippocampus responses correlated with obsession. Overall, results suggest that for some individuals the reward-value associated with a long-term partner may be sustained, similar to new love, but also involves brain systems implicated in attachment and pair-bonding.
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“Importantly, three different phases in romantic relationships have been defined that share common biological substrates but also involve different brain systems (11,35,36).”
From Oxytocin enhances brain reward system responses in men viewing the face of their female partner (2013) · cites this paper as [11]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredIn the citing paper
“Additionally, the CP is activated in humans when viewing the faces of loved ones, and this activation is correlated with romantic love and passion scores (Bartels and Zeki 2000; Aron et al 2005; Acevedo et al 2012).”
From The behavioral, anatomical and pharmacological parallels between social attachment, love and addiction (2012) · cites this paper as Acevedo et al 2012
In the citing paper
“Neuroimaging studies showed that brain regions implicated in feelings of reward, such as the VTA, NAcc, and caudate that were previously documented in pair bond formation in animal species, are activated during the perception of romantic partner’s face (Acevedo et al. 2012; Aron et al. 2005; Bartels and Zeki 2000; Scheele et al. 2013).”
From A precision medicine approach to oxytocin trials (2017) · cites this paper as Acevedo et al. 2012
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BackgroundClimbing Diotima's Mountain: Marriage and Achieving Our Highest Goals
Aron, A. P., & Aron, E. N. (2014) · Psychological Inquiry · doi:10.1080/1047840x.2014.878521 · Cited by 2
Self-citationACC and IPL networks in the perception of the faces of parents during selective tasks
Zhai, H., Yu, Y., Zhang, W., Chen, G., & Jia, F. (2015) · Brain Imaging and Behavior · doi:10.1007/s11682-015-9486-1 · Cited by 2
“In addition, the mother’s affective responses to her infant may reflect an important aspect of maternal attachment (Nitschke et al. 2004; Acevedo et al. 2012).”
BackgroundMethodInfluentialInterpersonal Relationships in Late Adulthood
Franz, C. E., McKenzie, R. E., Ramundo, A., Landrum, E., & Shahroudi, A. (2015) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-1-4939-2923-8_9 · Cited by 2
“In one study, seventeen participants, ages 39–67 were shown pictures of their romantic partner/spouse to compare brain activation in adults in long-term relationships with that of adults in new intense romantic relationships using functional magnetic resonance imaging (Acevedo et al. 2012).”
BackgroundStörungen des sexuellen Interesses und der sexuellen Erregung bei der Frau
Hartmann, U. H. (2017) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-662-54415-0_9 · Cited by 2
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Bases neurobiológicas de las emociones
Hoyos, C. F. E., & Rivero, G. A. (2023) · Revista Científica de Ciencias de la Salud · doi:10.17162/rccs.v16i1.1990 · Cited by 2
Harrison, M. A. (2022) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108943567.019 · Cited by 2
Bode, A., Kowal, M., Aghedu, F. C., & Kavanagh, P. S. (2024) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/3fgxj · Cited by 2
Sexual Orientation and Romantic LovePreprint
Bode, A., Luoto, S., Kowal, M., Aghedu, F. C., & Kavanagh, P. S. (2024) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/mydzu · Cited by 2
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Love and hate do not modulate the attentional blink but improve overall performance
Liu, Y., Olivers, C. N. L., & Lange, P. A. M. V. (2024) · Cognition & Emotion · doi:10.1080/02699931.2024.2338203 · Cited by 1
“…they are rooted in typically cumulative social interaction experiences (Aumer-Ryan & Hat fi eld, 2007; Cacioppo et al., 2012; Ortigue et al., 2007) and as such guide our behaviours in future social interactions (e.g. Acevedo et al., 2012; Fischer, 2018; Hazan & Shaver, 1987; Martinez et al., 2022).”
Personally valued voices engage reward-motivated behaviour and brain responses
Kanber, E., Roiser, J. P., & McGettigan, C. (2025) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsaf056 · Cited by 2
The Neural and Genetic Basis of Romantic Love
Acevedo, B. P., Bartels, A., Sainz‐Ballesteros, A., & Grassi, P. R. (2025) · Springer eBooks · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-76665-7_63-1 · Cited by 1
Self-citationFredrickson, B. L. (2025) · doi:10.1093/9780197754825.001.0001 · Cited by 2
Effect of warm pressure on feelings of social connection with close others
Damon, Z. F., Kathman, G. M., Case, L. K., & Inagaki, T. K. (2025) · Biological Psychology · doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2025.109113 · Cited by 1
Fujisaki, K., Ueda, R., Nakai, R., & Abe, N. (2025) · Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience · doi:10.1093/scan/nsaf127 · Cited by 1
Peripheral brain-derived neurotrophic factor in stable love relationships: a study in healthy humans
Marazziti, D., Mucci, F., Gurrieri, R., Palego, L., Betti, L., Giannaccini, G., & Carter, C. S. (2026) · The World Journal of Biological Psychiatry · doi:10.1080/15622975.2026.2624464 · Cited by 1
“On one site, brain-imaging findings revealed the main areas possibly involved in love, specifically (Bartels and Zeki, 2000; Aron et al. 2005; Acevedo et al. 2012) On the other hand, changes of different neurotransmitters, as dopamine, serotonin, norepinephrine, together with neuro-peptides as…”
Metadata
- Authors
- Acevedo, B. P., Aron, A., Fisher, H. E., & Brown, L. L.
- Affiliations
- Stony Brook University (US)
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Venue
- Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press (OUP)
- Published
- 2011-01-05
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 145-159
- ISSN
- 1749-5016 (ISSN-L)
- 1749-5024
- PMC
- PMC3277362
- OpenAlex
- W2011594069
- Cited by
- 441
- References
- 103
- Citations by year
- 2026: 20 · 2025: 34 · 2024: 23 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 22 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 59 · 2019: 33 · 2018: 29 · 2017: 28 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 24 · 2013: 16 · 2012: 14
- FWCI
- 24.88
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Licence
- cc-by-nc
- Locations
- Social Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Stony Brook University
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Endocrine and Autonomic Systems › Neuroendocrine regulation and behavior
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Attachment and Relationship Dynamics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
- Keywords
- romantic love, neural correlates, ventral tegmental area, caudate nucleus, reward systems, maternal attachment, pair bonding, sexual frequency, obsession, self-inclusion
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Aged, Brain, Brain Mapping, Dopamine, Emotions, Female, Humans, Image Processing, Computer-Assisted, Love, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Motivation, Obsessive Behavior, Reward, Sexual Behavior, Ventral Tegmental Area
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