Have you found true love?

A medical test to detect  ‘true love’ will be available in by 2028, according to one of the world’s leading neurologists.

The painless test will work by detecting the presence of potent ‘love’ chemicals in the brain using an MRI-type scanner, according to Daily Mail .

While most people will use the test for ‘fun’, others will use them to avoid marrying the wrong person or finding out if their relationship is worth the hassle, according to neuroscientist Dr Fred Nour.

The test will detect chemicals, called nonapeptides, that are only produced in significant quantities when a person is truly in love, researchers believe.

Dr Nour spoke about the test launch of his new book, ‘True Love: Love Explained by Science’.

 He said: ‘In theory, this test could provide a definitive answer to whether someone was truly in love or not.

‘If nonapeptides aren’t present in high levels in the brain, then it’s a tell-tale sign that a person is not truly in love as it’s scientifically impossible to be in true love without them.

‘For many couples, the test would be just another novelty, but in some cases a pre-marital scan could help people avoid marrying someone with ulterior motives.’

At present, the procedure for measuring the volume of nonapeptides in the brain can be done only in living laboratory animals.

But advances in medical technology means a brain test could become a reality by 2028, Dr Nour said.

Unlike lie detectors and other existing devices, such a scanner could not be duped and would boast an accuracy rate of between 97 and 99 per cent.

Dr Nour estimates that at least two-in-three people who undergo the procedure, which would confirm within a few hours whether they are truly in love, will do so for fun or as a romantic gesture.

But the remainder are likely to be the rich and famous who want to protect their fortunes from ‘fakers and gold diggers’ ahead of tying the knot.

A pre-marital scan may even become a necessary – and legally admissible – element of a pre-nuptial agreement.

Dr Nour said: ‘Nonapeptides are the markers of true love in humans, known to cause the long-term bonding process.

‘We can’t currently detect the levels of nonapeptides in the living human brain except through invasive procedures, which is why it is only performed on research animals.

‘However, there is already a test similar to this called DaT scan which measures the levels of dopamine in the living human brain. It takes around two hours to get the results and is virtually painless and harmless to perform.

‘As medical scanning technology continues to improve, I think a similar test to measure these love chemicals in the living human brain could be available within a decade.’

N.H.Kh