women who donated fetal tissue from abortions.
Limitations:
Ethically sensitive as it involved aborted embryos, nerve tissue
transplants and a sham surgery
Gender:
The gender ratio of participants is not mentioned and could
thus limit the generalisability of the study
Fisher, Aron and Brown Dopamine: A neurotransmitter associated with movement,
attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward
system.
This suggests that dopamine produces a 'rush' of excitement
and pleasure associated with the loved one, particularly at the
start of relationships
This highlights the value of using fMRIs to study links between
the brain and behaviour
AMPRC Aim: To investigate the effect of dopamine on romantic love
To investigate neural mechanisms associated with the
attraction system
Method + Procedure: 10 women and 7 men between 18-26 years
of age who were in love. To determine duration, intensity and
nature of the participant's romantic love, the researcher
interviewed participants and asked them to complete
questionnaire: "Passionate Love Scale (PLS)" They were placed
in fMRI scanner, showed picture of beloved, then asked to count
backwards, then show picture of acquaintance. This was
repeated 6 times.
Results: fMRI results showed different parts of the brain were
activated when participants viewed photos of beloveds vs.
acquaintances. When shown a picture of a beloved, the right
ventral tegmental area (VTA) activated. This is a dopamine rich
area of the brain and part of the brain's reward system.
Conclusion:
Dopamine activity in the brain plays a role in romantic love
The results indicate the possibility of brain circuits dedicated
to attraction are the same circuits associated with addiction.
Dopamine increases with anticipation of reward (not just
getting a reward). We anticipate rewards so our brains are wired
14
Limitations:
Ethically sensitive as it involved aborted embryos, nerve tissue
transplants and a sham surgery
Gender:
The gender ratio of participants is not mentioned and could
thus limit the generalisability of the study
Fisher, Aron and Brown Dopamine: A neurotransmitter associated with movement,
attention and learning and the brain's pleasure and reward
system.
This suggests that dopamine produces a 'rush' of excitement
and pleasure associated with the loved one, particularly at the
start of relationships
This highlights the value of using fMRIs to study links between
the brain and behaviour
AMPRC Aim: To investigate the effect of dopamine on romantic love
To investigate neural mechanisms associated with the
attraction system
Method + Procedure: 10 women and 7 men between 18-26 years
of age who were in love. To determine duration, intensity and
nature of the participant's romantic love, the researcher
interviewed participants and asked them to complete
questionnaire: "Passionate Love Scale (PLS)" They were placed
in fMRI scanner, showed picture of beloved, then asked to count
backwards, then show picture of acquaintance. This was
repeated 6 times.
Results: fMRI results showed different parts of the brain were
activated when participants viewed photos of beloveds vs.
acquaintances. When shown a picture of a beloved, the right
ventral tegmental area (VTA) activated. This is a dopamine rich
area of the brain and part of the brain's reward system.
Conclusion:
Dopamine activity in the brain plays a role in romantic love
The results indicate the possibility of brain circuits dedicated
to attraction are the same circuits associated with addiction.
Dopamine increases with anticipation of reward (not just
getting a reward). We anticipate rewards so our brains are wired
14
