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

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

SUBMITTER: Acevedo BP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7223160 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature