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Everlasting love does not exist only in novels and poems. It is real and scientifically provable by MRI brain scans, according to a research team at Stony Brook University in New York, reported British newspaper The Sunday Times.
The research team tested 10 women and seven men, who responded that they still passionately love their spouses after an average 21 years of marriage. Their brains were scanned when they were shown a picture of their spouse, producing results similar to those who have been in love for less than a year, in terms of romantic love and sexual lust.
¡°The findings go against the traditional view of romance -- that it drops off sharply in the first decade -- but we are sure it¡¯s real,¡± said Arthur Aron, a psychologist who led this research. ¡°The brain scans tell us and people can¡¯t fake that,¡± he added.
Taking an idea from swans, who mate for life, the researchers nicknamed the couples ¡°swan.¡± The researchers said one in 10 couples fall into this ¡°swan¡± category. Among other animals, voles and grey foxes also have similar love patterns.
Traditional wisdom on love dictates that it is prompted by chemical reactions in the brain, and it starts to fade out after 15 months and is completely gone in 10 years. Regarding advice on the 90 percent of unfortunate couples seemingly incapable of ¡°true love,¡± Aaron said the swan couples tend to ¡°share experiences and avoid stress.¡±
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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