[Good4auth]Are you truly in love? Here's the science to find out...
Most people think of the heart when they think about love, but new research shows it is all in the head!
MRI scans may soon become the best proof of someone's affection, according to a study from The University of Science and Technology of China.
Forget the fancy flowers and tasty treats, and imagine asking your sweetie to have an MRI brain scan.
"I would ask him, but I don't know if he'd be willing," laughed Melissa Rogers, a Utahn currently in love.
"I think I'm going to take [my girlfriend's] word for it because it sounds like I could get in a little trouble..." said David Broderick, another local lovebird.
Okay, maybe it is not the most romantic gesture, but new research shows it is empirical proof of love.
"When you're in love your brain looks happy. There is a tiny little region of the brain that's called, 'The Reward Center,' and it's activated when we're doing things that are very pleasurable," explained Anna Zilverstand (Ph.D), with the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, which partnered with the international research team to publish the study.
Research participants had MRI scans after answering a series of questions. The results showed people in love have more motivation, social cognition, and emotion regulation than those not in love.
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Researchers also found love changes the actual structure of the brain, not just just its processes. The 100 participants were not told to think about anything specific during their MRIs and still showed those results.
