Indeed, a recent behavioral study demonstrated that the presentation of romantic partner pictures is sufficient to reduce experimentally-induced pain. The results of those studies suggest that the activation of reward systems (perhaps even non-pharmacologically) could reduce pain in humans. For example, the nucleus accumbens and ventral tegmental area (two key reward processing structures) both play an important role in analgesic processes – – perhaps explaining why pleasurable and appetitive states such as sucrose consumption and anticipation of food reward reduce pain. The engagement of reward systems by viewing pictures of a romantic partner is pertinent to the study of pain because several basic animal studies have shown reward-processing regions to be critically involved in analgesia. Collectively, these neuroimaging studies demonstrate that reward-system activation is a central component of self-reported feelings of love in new romantic relationships. The activation of reward structures caused by viewing pictures of a romantic partner has also been confirmed in a Chinese sample, suggesting the phenomenon may be culturally universal. An earlier fMRI study using a similar protocol reported neural activations specific to the romantic partner pictures in reward regions such as the bilateral caudate nucleus and bilateral hippocampus.

Neural activations specific to viewing pictures of the romantic partner were observed in several reward-processing regions, such as the bilateral caudate nucleus and right ventral tegmental area. In one such functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, Aron and colleagues instructed participants in new, romantic relationships to view pictures of their partner, and pictures of a familiar acquaintance who was the same age and sex as the participant's partner. Those studies displayed pictures of participants' own romantic partners to reliably evoke acute positive affect and self-reported feelings of love. Human neuroimaging studies have shown that feelings experienced during the early stages of a romantic relationship are associated with neural activations in several reward-system and affect-processing regions of the brain. They also become emotionally dependent on, desire closeness with, and have highly focused attention on their partner –. Individuals in new romantic relationships report feeling euphoric and energetic. The early stages of a new, romantic relationship can be a powerful and absorbing experience.

The results suggest that the activation of neural reward systems via non-pharmacologic means can reduce the experience of pain. Greater analgesia while viewing pictures of a romantic partner was associated with increased activity in several reward-processing regions, including the caudate head, nucleus accumbens, lateral orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex – regions not associated with distraction-induced analgesia. The partner and distraction tasks both significantly reduced self-reported pain, although only the partner task was associated with activation of reward systems. Participants completed three tasks under periods of moderate and high thermal pain: 1) viewing pictures of their romantic partner, 2) viewing pictures of an equally attractive and familiar acquaintance, and 3) a word-association distraction task previously demonstrated to reduce pain. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study, we examined fifteen individuals in the first nine months of a new, romantic relationship. We hypothesized that pain relief evoked by viewing pictures of a romantic partner would be associated with neural activations in reward-processing centers. Indeed, viewing pictures of a romantic partner was recently demonstrated to reduce experimental thermal pain. The results of those studies may be relevant to pain management in humans, as basic animal research has shown that pharmacologic activation of reward systems can substantially reduce pain. Neuroimaging research has linked those feelings to activation of reward systems in the human brain. The early stages of a new romantic relationship are characterized by intense feelings of euphoria, well-being, and preoccupation with the romantic partner.

A romantic photo