A Narrative Review of Neural Synchrony and Oscillations in Shared Consciousness of Self and Other in Romantic Intimacy
Journal of Psychosexual Health February 18, 2026 Neriah Samraksha, SR Sangeetha, D Patteswari
Transient neural synchrony between partners, measured through hyperscanning EEG and fNIRS, correlates with the subjective experience of intimacy during romantic connection. Shared gaze, emotional alignment, and coordinated rhythms appear to support this synchrony, which may play a role in social bonding and emotional regulation. Romantic attachment both shapes and is shaped by dynamic inter-brain coupling, with long-term neuroplastic effects possible from sustained dyadic co-regulation. The review integrates neuroscientific data with enactivism, intersubjectivity, and the extended mind thesis, considering whether romantic connection reflects a form of shared cognitive processing. Causal mechanisms between neural synchrony and intimacy remain to be fully established.