Neuroscientists have discovered a "chemical imprint" on the brain that keeps romance going strong.
Neuroscientists have found a chemical in the brain that keeps romance alive
A new study has shown that some people leave a unique imprint on the brain that causes humans to crave certain individuals more than others.
Researchers, who conducted their experiment on prairie voles, found that the imprint fades over time as a person reduces contact with someone they love.
The team used neuroimaging technology on the rodents - a rare example of a mammal that forms monogamous pair bonds - and noted how sensors lit up when the voles got a spurt of dopamine upon reuniting with a partner.
Zoe Donaldson, an associate professor from the University of Colorado Boulder, said: "What we have found, essentially, is a biological signature of desire that helps us explain why we want to be with some people more than other people.
"As humans, our entire social world is basically defined by different degrees of selective desire to interact with different people.
"This research suggests that certain people leave a unique chemical imprint on our brain that drives us to maintain these bonds over time."