Another study had participants who had already been married for 21.4 years on average. They reported that they still feel passionate love for one another, showing the same activity in areas rich in dopamine, such as the VTA, similar to those who are still in the early throes of love.

The neural patterns of romantic love appear to be universal across different sexual orientations, genders, and cultures. However, not all kinds of desire or love look the same. For example, platonic and romantic love might come with some distinct neural signatures.