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Links to Spirituality Found in the Brain

2010-02-12 05:22:56

Scientists have identified areas of the brain that, when damaged, lead to

greater spirituality. The findings hint at the roots of spiritual and religious

attitudes, the researchers say.

The study, published in the Feb. 11 issue of the journal Neuron, involves a

personality trait called self-transcendence, which is a somewhat vague measure

of spiritual feeling, thinking, and behaviors. Self-transcendence "reflects a

decreased sense of self and an ability to identify one's self as an integral

part of the universe as a whole," the researchers explain.

Before and after surgery, the scientists surveyed patients who had brain tumors

removed. The surveys generate self-transcendence scores.

Selective damage to the left and right posterior parietal regions of the brain

induced a specific increase in self-transcendence, or ST, the surveys showed.

"Our symptom-lesion mapping study is the first demonstration of a causative

link between brain functioning and ST," said Dr. Cosimo Urgesi from the

University of Udine in Italy. "Damage to posterior parietal areas induced

unusually fast changes of a stable personality dimension related to

transcendental self-referential awareness. Thus, dysfunctional parietal neural

activity may underpin altered spiritual and religious attitudes and behaviors."

Previous neuroimaging studies had linked activity within a large network in the

brain that connects the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortexes with spiritual

experiences, "but information on the causative link between such a network and

spirituality is lacking," explains lead study author, Urgesi said.

One study, reported in 2008, suggested that the brain's right parietal lobe

defines "Me," and people with less active Me-Definers are more likely to lead

spiritual lives.

The finding could lead to new strategies for treating some forms of mental

illness.

"If a stable personality trait like ST can undergo fast changes as a

consequence of brain lesions, it would indicate that at least some personality

dimensions may be modified by influencing neural activity in specific areas,"

said Dr. Salvatore M. Aglioti from Sapienza University of Rome. "Perhaps novel

approaches aimed at modulating neural activity might ultimately pave the way to

new treatments of personality disorders."