Love really can last a lifetime

Washington, Jan 27 (ANI): A new study has challenged popular beliefs that love is destined to flicker and flame out in course of time.

Researchers at Stony Brook University in New York have found that people can be as madly in love with each other a couple of decades into marriage as they were when they met, reports CBS News.

They conducted brain scans on couples in the early and long-term stages of relationships.

"The couples were shown a picture of their significant other and it highlighted the reward centre (of the brain). So what that can tell us is (that lifelong love is) not mythical, it's not fairy tale, it shows the same kind of reaction in both (early and long-term relationships), and that's wonderful news," said 'Early Show' contributor and psychologist Dr. Jennifer Hartstein.

"The more colour highlights (on the scan reveals) the fact that there is a greater attachment that's built. Attachment areas grow over time," she added.

"Love can last much longer than we really thought about because their divorce rate is so high. So I think this is really hopeful that maybe love is equally long-lasting," said Hartstein.

'Early Show' co-anchor Jeff Glor said one important part of the study was that long-term couples who said they were madly in love still have sex frequently.

So how important is sex in a relationship?

"Sex is important for lots of reasons. We know there are actually a physical health benefit, mental health benefit, and most importantly, keeps you connected to your partner. And that's only going to build passion and positive feeling towards the other person," said Hartstein.

But beyond sex, she said it is communication that makes a relationship last.

"You have to keep the communication open, working on keeping the connection together and appreciating one another," she added. (ANI)