Definition and research guide
This page combines a MeSH definition, publication statistics and selected research abstracts. It is a starting point for reading the literature, not a medical textbook or a systematic evidence review.
Content available: 4 complete abstracts (609 words), 10 references. Full article text is not stored or reproduced here; follow the PMID, DOI or PMC links to read the original sources and their access terms.
Definition
Affection; in psychiatry commonly refers to pleasure, particularly as it applies to gratifying experiences between individuals.
Definition: NLM Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) scope note (Public domain (U.S. National Library of Medicine); attribution requested). View the MeSH record.
Also known as: Loves.
Where it fits in the MeSH classification
- Broader topics
- Emotions
- See also
- Courtship
Research landscape
PubMed indexes 4,189 records tagged with the MeSH heading “Love” (counts retrieved 2026-10-31). 747 of them (17.8%) were published from 2020 onward, and the busiest period so far is through 1999 with 1,454 records.
Reviews account for 282 records (6.7%) and meta-analyses for 11. Randomized controlled trials number 43 (1.0%) as a share of all records on the topic. Randomized trials make up only a small share of this literature, so much of what is known comes from laboratory, observational or descriptive work.
Show the data
| Period | Records |
|---|---|
| through 1999 | 1,454 |
| 2000-2009 | 907 |
| 2010-2019 | 1,081 |
| 2020 onward | 747 |
Publication-type chart data
| Type | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Reviews | 282 | 6.7% |
| Meta-analyses | 11 | 0.3% |
| Randomized controlled trials | 43 | 1.0% |
Method: PubMed query "Love"[MeSH Terms] with publication-type and date filters, retrieved 2026-10-31.
Reading the evidence in psychiatry and psychology
Research on mental health and behaviour relies on questionnaires, interviews and rating scales rather than physical measurements, so how a condition was defined and measured shapes every result. Many studies are observational or small, placebo responses can be large, and findings in one group or culture may not carry over to another. Nothing on this page is advice about diagnosis or treatment; anyone worried about their mental health should talk to a qualified clinician. Check how outcomes were measured, who took part and how long they were followed.
Evidence from open-access studies
These open-access studies come from PubMed’s best-match results for this heading (papers whose main topic it is), ranked here by citation count, with one recent addition. Each abstract is reproduced in full under its recorded open licence so that you can read the authors’ own words. They illustrate the literature; they are not a systematic summary of it. Citation counts measure attention, not reliability or clinical benefit.
| Study / authors | Year | Source label / design | Europe PMC citations | Licence / source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The brain reaction to viewing faces of opposite- and same-sex romantic partners | 2010 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 48 | cc by PMID 21209829 · DOI · PMC3013131 |
| Associations between the parent-child relationship and adolescent self-worth: a genetically informed study of twin parents and their adolescent children | 2017 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 30 | cc by PMID 27426633 · DOI · PMC5215430 |
| Do You Love Me? Psychological Characteristics of Romance Scam Victims | 2018 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 25 | cc by PMID 28657792 · DOI · PMC5806049 |
| Reduced neural specificity for a romantic partner in the nucleus accumbens over relationship duration | 2026 | Research article Design not recorded in structured metadata | 2 | cc by PMID 41437629 · DOI · PMC12873753 |
The brain reaction to viewing faces of opposite- and same-sex romantic partners [1]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- We pursued our functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the neural correlates of romantic love in 24 subjects, half of whom were female (6 heterosexual and 6 homosexual) and half male (6 heterosexual and 6 homosexual).
- Closing excerpt
- We could therefore detect no difference in activation patterns between these groups.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (108 words)
We pursued our functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of the neural correlates of romantic love in 24 subjects, half of whom were female (6 heterosexual and 6 homosexual) and half male (6 heterosexual and 6 homosexual). We compared the pattern of activity produced in their brains when they viewed the faces of their loved partners with that produced when they viewed the faces of friends of the same sex to whom they were romantically indifferent. The pattern of activation and de-activation was very similar in the brains of males and females, and heterosexuals and homosexuals. We could therefore detect no difference in activation patterns between these groups.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 21209829 · DOI · PMC3013131
Associations between the parent-child relationship and adolescent self-worth: a genetically informed study of twin parents and their adolescent children [2]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- BackgroundLow self-worth during adolescence predicts a range of emotional and behavioural problems.
- Closing excerpt
- Data were cross-sectional, so the direction of effects cannot be confirmed but findings support the notion that positive parent-child relationships increase adolescent self-worth.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (185 words)
BackgroundLow self-worth during adolescence predicts a range of emotional and behavioural problems. As such, identifying potential sources of influence on self-worth is important. Aspects of the parent-child relationship are often associated with adolescent self-worth but to date it is unclear whether such associations may be attributable to familial confounding (e.g. genetic relatedness). We set out to clarify the nature of relationships between parental expressed affection and adolescent self-worth, and parent-child closeness and adolescent self-worth.MethodsWe used data from the Twin and Offspring Study in Sweden, a children-of-twins sample comprising 909 adult twin pairs with adolescent children. Using these data we were able to apply structural equation models with which we could examine whether associations remained after accounting for genetic transmission.ResultsResults demonstrated that parent-child closeness and parental-expressed affection were both phenotypically associated with adolescent self-worth. Associations could not be attributed to genetic relatedness between parent and child.ConclusionsParent-child closeness and parental affection are associated with adolescent self-worth above and beyond effects attributable to genetic relatedness. Data were cross-sectional, so the direction of effects cannot be confirmed but findings support the notion that positive parent-child relationships increase adolescent self-worth.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 27426633 · DOI · PMC5215430
Do You Love Me? Psychological Characteristics of Romance Scam Victims [3]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- The online dating romance scam is an Advance Fee Fraud, typically conducted by international criminal groups via online dating sites and social networking sites.
- Closing excerpt
- It is argued here that these findings might be useful for those developing prevention programs and awareness campaigns.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (116 words)
The online dating romance scam is an Advance Fee Fraud, typically conducted by international criminal groups via online dating sites and social networking sites. This type of mass-marketing fraud (MMF) is the most frequently reported type of MMF in most Western countries. This study examined the psychological characteristics of romance scam victims by comparing romance scam victims with those who had never been scammed by MMFs. Romance scam victims tend to be middle-aged, well-educated women. Moreover, they tend to be more impulsive (scoring high on urgency and sensation seeking), less kind, more trustworthy, and have an addictive disposition. It is argued here that these findings might be useful for those developing prevention programs and awareness campaigns.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 28657792 · DOI · PMC5806049
Reduced neural specificity for a romantic partner in the nucleus accumbens over relationship duration [4]
Abstract reading summary — source excerpts
- Opening excerpt
- Neural processes distinguishing romantic love from opposite-sex friendships remain a key challenge in neuroscience.
- Closing excerpt
- These findings suggest partner-specific processing in the NAcc, with this specificity diminishing as the relationship matures.
- Interpretation limits
- Verbatim excerpts from the authors’ abstract; the closing excerpt may describe a finding, limitation or recommendation. Design, population, effect size and uncertainty have not been independently extracted or appraised. Read the complete abstract and linked paper before interpreting the findings.
Read complete abstract (200 words)
Neural processes distinguishing romantic love from opposite-sex friendships remain a key challenge in neuroscience. Research on monogamous prairie voles has revealed that the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) is pivotal for partner-specific processing through plastic changes. However, it remains unclear in humans whether the NAcc differentiates a partner from opposite-sex friends, and how partner-related processing changes as the relationship matures. In a sample of 47 heterosexual male participants, we investigated the neural representations of a female partner, a female friend, and a male friend, in the NAcc, caudate nucleus and putamen. We collected fMRI data from participants during a social incentive delay task designed to elicit neural responses in anticipation of social approval from each of them. Classifier-based multivoxel pattern analysis (MVPA) demonstrated that neural activity patterns in all three regions distinguished the female partner from the female friend. Importantly, similarity-based MVPA revealed that, in the NAcc, the female friend was represented closer to the male friend than to the partner. Furthermore, exploratory analyses indicated that individuals in longer romantic relationships presented less distinguishable neural responses between the partner and the female friend in the NAcc. These findings suggest partner-specific processing in the NAcc, with this specificity diminishing as the relationship matures.
Abstract reproduced from the open-access article under the recorded cc by licence; © the authors. PMID 41437629 · DOI · PMC12873753
Key reviews and meta-analyses
The most cited review-type papers among PubMed’s best-match results for this heading, listed with bibliographic details only. Follow the links for the full text and access terms.
- Research article The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions [5]
- Research article Neuroendocrine perspectives on social attachment and love [6]
- Research article Adolescent romantic relationships [7]
- Research article Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions [8]
- Research article Love, sex, and power. Considering women's realities in HIV prevention [9]
- Research article What does sexual orientation orient? A biobehavioral model distinguishing romantic love and sexual desire [10]
References
- Zeki S, Romaya JP. The brain reaction to viewing faces of opposite- and same-sex romantic partners. . 2010. PMID 21209829 · DOI · PMC3013131
- McAdams TA, Rijsdijk FV, Narusyte J, Ganiban JM, Reiss D, Spotts E, et al.. Associations between the parent-child relationship and adolescent self-worth: a genetically informed study of twin parents and their adolescent children. . 2017. PMID 27426633 · DOI · PMC5215430
- Whitty MT. Do You Love Me? Psychological Characteristics of Romance Scam Victims. . 2018. PMID 28657792 · DOI · PMC5806049
- Fujisaki K, Ueda R, Nakai R, Abe N. Reduced neural specificity for a romantic partner in the nucleus accumbens over relationship duration. . 2026. PMID 41437629 · DOI · PMC12873753
- Fredrickson BL. The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci. 2004. PMID 15347528 · DOI · PMC1693418
- Carter CS. Neuroendocrine perspectives on social attachment and love. Psychoneuroendocrinology. 1998. PMID 9924738 · DOI
- Collins WA, Welsh DP, Furman W. Adolescent romantic relationships. Annu Rev Psychol. 2009. PMID 19035830 · DOI
- Hofmann SG, Grossman P, Hinton DE. Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: potential for psychological interventions. Clin Psychol Rev. 2011. PMID 21840289 · DOI · PMC3176989
- Amaro H. Love, sex, and power. Considering women's realities in HIV prevention. Am Psychol. 1995. PMID 7598292 · DOI
- Diamond LM. What does sexual orientation orient? A biobehavioral model distinguishing romantic love and sexual desire. Psychol Rev. 2003. PMID 12529061 · DOI
About this article
- Sources
- NLM Medical Subject Headings (definition, synonyms); NCBI PubMed (counts, identifiers); Europe PMC (open-access abstracts and citation counts).
- Verification
- Every reference was resolved against PubMed on 2026-11-04; title, year and DOI matched.
- Review state
- automated source verified; no human expert review has been recorded yet.
- Version
- 1, last updated 2026-11-04.
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Evidence strength
EvidenceHelix's computed view of the study designs behind this topic: how common meta-analyses, randomized trials and reviews are, how recent the literature is, and a plain-language reading. It describes the design mix of the literature. It is not a quality appraisal of any study, and it is not medical advice.