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Romantic Love: An fMRI Study of a Neural Mechanism for Mate Choice

Romantic Love: An fMRI Study of a Neural Mechanism for Mate Choice. Yan Lee ( JoJo ) Lilly Zhang Tin Poon (Tina). General Question Addressed in This Paper. Which specific brain system is associated with “courtship attraction”?. Why is this question interesting.

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Romantic Love: An fMRI Study of a Neural Mechanism for Mate Choice

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  1. Romantic Love: An fMRI Study of a Neural Mechanism for Mate Choice Yan Lee (JoJo) Lilly Zhang Tin Poon (Tina)

  2. General Question Addressed in This Paper • Which specific brain system is associated with “courtship attraction”?

  3. Why is this question interesting • Love is a cross-cultural universal experience • Love is primarily a motivation system • Love leads to various emotions. • A primary aspect of reproduction • Brain mechanisms that are involved in a relationship are largely unknown

  4. What specific hypothesis was the study supposed to address? • Hypothesis 1: “romantic love would involve subcorticaldopaminergic pathways that mediate reward” • Hypothesis 2: “romantic love would involve neural pathways associated with goal-directed behaviors”

  5. Method used • Age: 18-26 • Duration: 1-17 months being in love • Prescanning orally interview • Passionate Love Scale which measures several traits commonly associated with romantic love (Cronbach’s alpha for questionnaire reliability= 0.81)

  6. Study of Romantic Love by fMRI There are 4 Tasks 1- Photo of the beloved is shown (30s) 2- Countback distraction (40s) 3- Neutral stimulus (30s) 4- Similar countback task (20s) *Procedures repeated for 6 times

  7. Results • Activation in the right ventral tegmental area(VTA), caudate nucleus in the right medial and posterodosal body • VTA= reward system • VTA sends projections to the caudate nucleus • Hypotheses 1 and 2 are supported • Those who self-reported higher levels of romantic love also showed greater activation in the right anteromedial caudate body

  8. Important Things about Romantic Love • Romantic love may be a primary motivation system • Focus on specific reward • Romantic love is distinct from sex drive • fMRI studies show activation in different brain regions

  9. Related study Bartels and Zeki (2000;2004) • Investigated brain activity in 17 men and women who had been in love for longer duration (8-17 months) Results • Same as study by Fisher and Aron • Also found activity in the anterior cingulate, mid-insular cortex and posterior cingulate cortex • Also showed increased activity in the ventral pallidum

  10. Mate choice is dynamic: it changes across time

  11. Cont. Based on a study of Prairie Voles • Prairie voles show increased activity in the ventral pallidum • They form a distinct preference for partners • The injection of dopamine agonist can alter the female preference of her mate

  12. Conclusion • Reward regions using dopamine are activated during feelings of romantic love

  13. Discussion • More Money= More Love? • A study by Knutson, both the right anteromedial caudate body and the monetary reward region are activated when people are in love • Activation of VTA and caudate nucleus in early stage romantic love may consist of general arousal

  14. Improvement • There may be bias in self-report • fMRI study cannot show the causation of mate-choice • Should have included a neutral image of the brain and a fMRI image of being in love

  15. What’s Next? • The more wealthy the partner is, the more you love? • Will dopamine resolve hatred?

  16. Reference Fisher H, Aron A, Brown L. 2005 Romantic Love: An fMRI Study of a Neural Mechanism for Mate Choice

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