ArticleBrain imaging and behavior2020
Altered brain network organization in romantic love as measured with resting-state fMRI and graph theory.
Article in Brain imaging and behavior, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
11 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.
- Altered Topological Properties of White-Matter Functional Networks in Young Smokers.Addiction biology · 2026Article
- Use of the term "romantic love" in the evolutionary social and behavioral sciences.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Article
- Dyadic Similarity in Social Value Orientation Modulates Hyper-Brain Network Dynamics During Interpersonal Coordination: An fNIRS-Based Hyperscanning Study.Brain topography · 2024Article
- Development of a Sexological Ontology.Sensors (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Review
- Romantic Love and Behavioral Activation System Sensitivity to a Loved One.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Toward consistent reporting of sample characteristics in studies investigating the biological mechanisms of romantic love.Frontiers in psychology · 2023Review
- Genetic and epigenetic effects on couple adjustment in context of romantic relationship: A scoping systematic review.Frontiers in genetics · 2023Article
- Article
- Identifying Diurnal Variability of Brain Connectivity Patterns Using Graph Theory.Brain sciences · 2021Article
- Romance Scams: Romantic Imagery and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2021Article
- After the Honeymoon: Neural and Genetic Correlates of Romantic Love in Newlywed Marriages.Frontiers in psychology · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
Romantic love is a complex state that has been seen as similar to addiction. Previous task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies have shown that being in love is closely associated with functional brain changes in the reward and motivation system. However, romantic love-related functional connectivity network organization in resting-state fMRI has yet to be elucidated. To that end, here we used resting-state fMRI and graph theory to compare whole-brain functional network topology between an "in-love" group (n = 34, 16 females, currently in love and in a romantic relationship) and a "single" group (n = 32, 14 females, never in love and not in a romantic relationship). Compared to the single group, we found lower network segregation in the love group (i.e., lower small-worldness, mean clustering coefficient, and modularity), and these metrics were negatively associated with scores on the Passionate Love Scale (PLS) (an index of intense passionate/romantic love). Additionally, the love group displayed altered connectivity degree (reflecting the importance of a node): decreased degree in left angular gyrus and left medial orbitofrontal cortex, but increased degree in left fusiform gyrus. Furthermore, local efficiency or degree of these regions was significantly correlated to PLS scores. Taken together, results showed decreased overall brain functional segregation but enhanced emotional-social processing in romantic lovers. These findings provide the first evidence of love-related brain network organization changes and suggest similar but different brain network alterations between romantic love and addiction, providing new insights on the neural systems underlying romantic love.
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Registered trials
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