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. 2020 May 7:11:634.
doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2020.00634. eCollection 2020.

After the Honeymoon: Neural and Genetic Correlates of Romantic Love in Newlywed Marriages

Bianca P Acevedo  1 , Michael J Poulin  2 , Nancy L Collins  1 , Lucy L Brown  3
Affiliations

After the Honeymoon: Neural and Genetic Correlates of Romantic Love in Newlywed Marriages

Bianca P Acevedo et al. Front Psychol. .

Abstract

In Western culture, romantic love is commonly a basis for marriage. Although it is associated with relationship satisfaction, stability, and individual well-being, many couples experience declines in romantic love. In newlyweds, specifically, changes in love predict marital outcomes. However, the biological mechanisms underlying the critical transition to marriage are unknown. Thus, for the first time, we explored the neural and genetic correlates of romantic love in newlyweds. Nineteen first-time newlyweds were scanned (with functional MRI) while viewing face images of the partner versus a familiar acquaintance, around the time of the wedding (T1) and 1 year after (T2). They also provided saliva samples for genetic analysis (AVPR1a rs3, OXTR rs53576, COMT rs4680, and DRD4-7R), and completed self-report measures of relationship quality including the Eros (romantic love) scale. We hypothesized that romantic love is a developed form of the mammalian drive to find, and keep, preferred mates; and that its maintenance is orchestrated by the brain's reward system. Results showed that, at both time points, romantic love maintenance (Eros difference score: T2-T1) was associated with activation of the dopamine-rich substantia nigra in response to face images of the partner. Interactions with vasopressin, oxytocin, and dopamine genes implicated in pair-bonding (AVPR1a rs3, OXTR rs53576, COMT rs4680, and DRD4-7R) also conferred strong activation in the dopamine-rich ventral tegmental area at both time points. Consistent with work highlighting the role of sexual intimacy in relationships, romantic love maintenance showed correlations in the paracentral lobule (genital region) and cortical areas involved in sensory and cognitive processing (occipital, angular gyrus, insular cortex). These findings suggest that romantic love, and its maintenance, are orchestrated by dopamine-, vasopressin- and oxytocin-rich brain regions, as seen in humans and other monogamous animals. We also provide genetic evidence of polymorphisms associated with oxytocin, vasopressin and dopamine function that affect the propensity to sustain romantic love in early stage marriages. We conclude that romantic love maintenance is part of a broad mammalian strategy for reproduction and long-term attachment that is influenced by basic reward circuitry, complex cognitive processes, and genetic factors.

Keywords: dopamine; fMRI; marriage; pair-bonds; romantic love.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
(A) Regional brain activations showing positive correlations with change in romantic love scores (T2-T1: love maintenance) over the first year of marriage among newlyweds in response to viewing face images of the partner versus a highly familiar, neutral acquaintance. Yellow: T1 and T2 brain responses in the right SN (arrow). Red: T2 brain responses in the R anterior VTA (arrow) and R STG (arrow). Green: T1 brain responses in the L STG (arrow), and L PCL (arrow). (B) Scatterplot shows the correlation between change in romantic love (Eros) scores (T2-T1) and R SN activation at T2. (C) Scatterplot shows the correlation between change in romantic love scores (T2-T1) and L PCL activation at T2.
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
(A) Regional brain response interactions with AVPR1a rs3 (long versus short alleles) and change in romantic love scores (T2-T1: love maintenance) among newlyweds in response to viewing facial images of the partner versus a highly familiar, neutral acquaintance. Yellow: T1 and T2 brain responses in the R posterior VTA (arrow). Red: T2 brain responses bilaterally in the posterior VTA. (B) Scatterplot shows the correlations between AVPR1a rs3 (long versus short alleles) and the R VTA response at T1. (C) Scatterplot shows the correlations between AVPR1a rs3 (long versus short alleles) and the R VTA response at T2.
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
(A) Regional brain response interactions with OXTR rs53576 (G versus A-alleles) and change in romantic love scores (T2-T1: love maintenance) among newlyweds in response to viewing facial images of the partner versus a highly familiar, neutral acquaintance. Yellow: T1 and T2 responses in a small part of the left VTA (arrow). Green: T1 brain response bilaterally in the posterior VTA/SN. Red: T2 brain response bilaterally in the posterior VTA/SN. (B) Scatterplot shows the correlations between OXTR rs53576 (G versus A-alleles) and the L VTA response at T1. (C) Scatterplot shows the correlations between OXTR rs53576 (G versus A-alleles) and the L VTA response at T2.
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
(A) Regional brain response interactions with DRD4 7R alleles and change in romantic love scores (T2-T1: love maintenance) among newlyweds in response to viewing facial images of the partner versus a highly familiar, neutral acquaintance. Red: T2 brain responses in the anterior VTA (bottom right arrow) and insular cortex (leftmost arrow). Green: T1 brain response in the anterior VTA/SN (left bottom arrow), insular cortex (leftmost arrow), and R PCL (top arrow). (B) Scatterplot shows the correlations between DRD4 7R alleles and the L VTA response at T1. (C) Scatterplot shows the correlations between DRD4-7R alleles and the L insular cortex response at T1 and T2.
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
(A) Regional brain response interactions with COMT rs4680 (A versus G alleles) and change in romantic love scores (T2-T1: love maintenance) among newlyweds in response to viewing face images of the partner versus a highly familiar, neutral acquaintance. Inset shows a sagittal view of the insular cortex. Green: T1 brain response in the VTA/SN (bottom arrows) and insular cortex (inset). Red: T2 responses in the insular cortex (left arrow and inset). (B) Scatterplot shows the correlations between COMT rs4680 (A versus G alleles) and L VTA/SN response at T1. (C) Scatterplot shows the correlations between COMT rs4680 (A versus G alleles) and L insular cortex response at T1 and T2. R, right. L, Left. I, insular cortex; SN, substantia nigra; VTA, ventral tegmental area. Other colored regions did not meet the statistical requirements for whole-brain analysis or were not an ROI. Yellow, significant correlations at T1 and T2. Green, significant correlations at T1. Red, significant correlations at T2.
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