When romantic relationships end, the results can be devastating.

Using new technology, scientists are now able to actually see the extent of emotional damage done to the brain when a breakup occurs. 

The new technology utilizes MRI brain scans, which reveal significant changes in electrochemical activity in many different brain regions. 

Here’s a few other interesting tidbits:

• some of the changes seen are very similar to those noticed in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
• one of the brain regions significantly affected is important for motivation and attention. No wonder it’s so hard to study and focus on your work when a romantic relationship ends badly.

It is worth noting that the organs of the human body are very resilient, and can take a quite a few hits and still continue to work well and do their job. However, accumulate enough hits, and the organ will finally start to break down and show signs of malfunction.

In this regard, the brain is just like any other organ.

One has to wonder, then: For those of you who have gone through multiple romantic breakups, do we underestimate the true effects this has on the brain?