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

• A primary aspect of reproduction• Brain mechanisms that are involved

in a relationship are largely unknown

• Love is a cross-cultural universal experience

• Love is primarily a motivation system

• Love leads to various emotions.

What specific hypothesis was the study supposed to address?• Hypothesis 1: “romantic love

would involve subcortical dopaminergic pathways that mediate reward”• Hypothesis 2: “romantic love

would involve neural pathways associated with goal-directed behaviors”

• 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)

METHOD USED

Study of Romantic Love by fMRI

There are 4 Tasks1- 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

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

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

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

Mate choice is dynamic: it changes across time

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

Conclusion• Reward regions using dopamine are

activated during feelings of romantic love

• 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

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

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

ReferenceFisher H, Aron A, Brown L. 2005

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