In a study of 16 couples, the wives had to lie in an MRI machine, periodically receiving a mild but stressful electric shock on the ankle. During the procedure, some women held the hand of a stranger; others held hands with their husbands. The women who held their husbands' hands, compared to the women who held a stranger's hand, had

The women who held their husbands' hands had an activation of the brain regions that commands emotional responses.

Explanation:

The shock that women received caused a sensation of discomfort and caused their brain to search for elements that could reduce the discomfort and activate a certain level of comfort. In this case, the brain commands women to seek comfort by holding someone's hand. The women who held their husbands' hands had activation of the areas of the brain that are responsible for emotional responses, this response managed to lessen the discomfort. Women who did not hold their husbands' hands did not have that answer.