| Title |
Differences in Neural Response to Romantic Stimuli in Monogamous and Non-Monogamous Men
|
|---|---|
| Published in |
Archives of Sexual Behavior, September 2017
|
| DOI | 10.1007/s10508-017-1071-9 |
| Pubmed ID | |
| Authors |
Lisa Dawn Hamilton, Cindy M. Meston |
| Abstract |
In non-human animal research, studies comparing socially monogamous and promiscuous species of voles (Microtus) have identified some key neural differences related to monogamy and non-monogamy. Specifically, densities of the vasopressin V1a receptor and dopamine D2 receptors in subcortical reward-related and limbic areas of the brain have been linked to monogamous behavior in prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster). Similar brain areas have been shown to be correlated with feelings of romantic love in monogamously pair-bonded humans. Humans vary in the degree to which they engage in (non-)monogamous behaviors. The present study examined the differences in neural activation in response to sexual and romantic stimuli in monogamous (n = 10) and non-monogamous (n = 10) men. Results indicated that monogamous men showed more reward-related neural activity when viewing romantic pictures compared to non-monogamous men. Areas with increased activation for monogamous men were all in the right hemisphere and included the thalamus, accumbens, striatum, pallidum, insula, and orbitofrontal cortex. There were no significant differences between groups in activation to sexual stimuli. These results demonstrate that the neural processing of romantic images is different for monogamous and non-monogamous men. There is some overlap in the neural areas showing increased activation in monogamous men in the present study and the neural areas that show differences in the vole models of monogamy and affiliation. Future research will be needed to clarify whether similar factors are contributing to the neural differences seen in monogamous and non-monogamous humans and voles. |
X Demographics
The data shown below were collected from the profiles of 64 X users who shared this research output. Click here to find out more about how the information was compiled.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| United States | 14 | 22% |
| Spain | 6 | 9% |
| United Kingdom | 4 | 6% |
| Mexico | 3 | 5% |
| Germany | 2 | 3% |
| Canada | 2 | 3% |
| Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of | 2 | 3% |
| Ghana | 1 | 2% |
| South Africa | 1 | 2% |
| Other | 3 | 5% |
| Unknown | 26 | 41% |
Demographic breakdown
| Type | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Members of the public | 54 | 84% |
| Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 4 | 6% |
| Scientists | 3 | 5% |
| Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 3 | 5% |
Mendeley readers
The data shown below were compiled from readership statistics for 47 Mendeley readers of this research output. Click here to see the associated Mendeley record.
Geographical breakdown
| Country | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 47 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
| Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Student > Bachelor | 14 | 30% |
| Student > Ph. D. Student | 9 | 19% |
| Researcher | 4 | 9% |
| Student > Master | 3 | 6% |
| Professor | 1 | 2% |
| Other | 1 | 2% |
| Unknown | 15 | 32% |
| Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
|---|---|---|
| Psychology | 16 | 34% |
| Neuroscience | 5 | 11% |
| Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 3 | 6% |
| Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology | 2 | 4% |
| Computer Science | 1 | 2% |
| Other | 5 | 11% |
| Unknown | 15 | 32% |
Attention Score in Context
This research output has an Altmetric Attention Score of 136. This is our high-level measure of the quality and quantity of online attention that it has received. This Attention Score, as well as the ranking and number of research outputs shown below, was calculated when the research output was last mentioned on 21 April 2024.
All research outputs
#309,220
of 25,728,350 outputs
Outputs from Archives of Sexual Behavior
#189
of 3,776 outputs
Outputs of similar age
#6,463
of 324,474 outputs
Outputs of similar age from Archives of Sexual Behavior
#4
of 45 outputs
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