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relationships

·December 4, 2025·6 min read

Strong Marriages May Rewire Brain–Gut Signals

Strong emotional support within marriage may help protect against obesity by altering how the brain and gut communicate. People in highly supportive marriages showed better control of food cravings, healthier gut metabolism, and higher levels of oxytocin, a hormone linked to bonding and appetite regulation.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·October 9, 2025·6 min read

Lifelong Social Bonds Keep the Aging Brain Sharp and Flexible

Rats that lived in social groups throughout their lives retained youthful memory and mental flexibility well into old age, according to new research. Even with equal physical stimulation, only socially connected rats performed as well as younger ones on complex memory tests, while isolated rats showed significant decline.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 14, 2025·6 min read

Hormones Shape Love and Lust Differently in Male & Female Brains

New research uncovers how a hormonally tuned brain circuit in mice governs sex-specific mating behaviors. Scientists identified a subset of neurons in the prefrontal cortex that integrate oxytocin, ovarian hormones, and social cues to modulate sexual receptivity in females and suppress mating interest in males.

Featured Neuroscience

·July 14, 2025·3 min read

Friendship Synchronizes Brains

A new study reveals that close friendships can synchronize brain activity and influence decision-making, particularly in consumer behavior. Researchers found that friends evaluated products more similarly than strangers, with this effect strengthening as friendships deepened.

Featured Neuroscience

·June 28, 2025·3 min read

Regular Sex May Ease Painful Menopause Symptoms

A new study reveals that women who engage in regular sexual activity experience fewer symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM), such as vaginal dryness, irritation, and pain. In a survey of over 900 women aged 40 to 79, researchers found that while sexual desire and lubrication declined with age, orgasm and satisfaction remained stable.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·June 17, 2025·5 min read

Daily Ups and Downs in Love Are Normal, But Also Meaningful

A new study finds that relationship satisfaction fluctuates frequently—even daily—but these shifts are a normal part of romantic dynamics. Using high-frequency surveys from over 700 couples, researchers found that satisfaction often rises and falls in sync between partners.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·May 31, 2025·4 min read

How Personality Shapes Emotional Intimacy

While neuroticism is strongly associated with lower relationship satisfaction, the behavioral mechanisms driving this link have remained unclear. In a week-long daily diary study involving 246 participants, researchers identified specific negative and positive behaviors in romantic relationships.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience

·May 6, 2025·6 min read

Romantic Partners Can Shape Genetic Risk for Binge Drinking

New research shows that romantic partners' habits and traits can influence how strongly genetic risk for binge drinking affects an individual. Using data from Finnish twins, scientists found that partners who smoke, show psychological distress, or exhibit low conscientiousness amplify genetic risk.

This shows the outline of a woman surrounded by hearts and a man in the distance.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·April 13, 2025·5 min read

When Obsession Masquerades as Love: Understanding Limerence

Limerence is an intense, involuntary obsession with another person, often marked by intrusive thoughts, emotional dependency, and a fixation on perceived signs of interest or rejection. Coined by psychologist Dorothy Tennov in 1979, limerence differs from love due to its compulsive and often one-sided nature.

This shows a woman on a tablet and an AI face.

Featured Neuroethics Neuroscience Psychology

·April 11, 2025·5 min read

When AI Becomes a Lover: The Ethics of Human-AI Relationships

As AI technologies grow more human-like, some people are forming deep, long-term emotional bonds with them, even engaging in non-legally binding marriages. A recent opinion paper explores the ethical risks of such relationships, including their potential to undermine human-human connections and provide dangerous or manipulative advice.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 31, 2025·5 min read

Psychedelics May Enhance Intimacy, Attraction, and Sexual Expression

In the first study of its kind, researchers found that psychedelic use can positively affect sexuality, romantic relationships, and gender expression. Surveying nearly 600 users of substances like psilocybin, LSD, and ketamine, the study revealed that many participants reported increased partner attraction, improved intimacy, and enhanced sexual experiences.

This shows a couple on chairs facing each other.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·March 31, 2025·7 min read

Fear of Emotions Fuels PTSD-Related Conflict in Romantic Relationships

New research reveals that fear of emotions may explain why individuals with PTSD symptoms often struggle to communicate with romantic partners. The study found that people with higher PTSD symptoms were more likely to fear strong emotions, which led to less constructive and more conflict-driven communication styles.