Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

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Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by FBM » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:28 pm

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/20 ... 124757.htm
Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality
ScienceDaily (Feb. 11, 2010) — New research provides fascinating insight into brain changes that might underlie alterations in spiritual and religious attitudes. The study, published by Cell Press in the February 11 issue of the journal Neuron, explores the neural basis of spirituality by studying patients before and after surgery to remove a brain tumor.

Although it is well established that all behaviors and experiences, spiritual or otherwise, must originate in the brain, true empirical exploration of the neural underpinnings of spirituality has been challenging. However, recent advances in neuroscience have started to make the complex mental processes associated with religion and spirituality more accessible.

"Neuroimaging studies have 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, Dr. Cosimo Urgesi from the University of Udine in Italy.

Dr. Urgesi and colleagues were interested in making a direct link between brain activity and spirituality. They focused specifically on the personality trait called self-transcendence (ST), which is thought to be a measure of spiritual feeling, thinking, and behaviors in humans. ST 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 combined analysis of ST scores obtained from brain tumor patients before and after they had surgery to remove their tumor, with advanced techniques for mapping the exact location of the brain lesions after surgery. "This approach allowed us to explore the possible changes of ST induced by specific brain lesions and the causative role played by frontal, temporal, and parietal structures in supporting interindividual differences in ST," says researcher Dr. Franco Fabbro from the University of Udine.

The group found that selective damage to the left and right posterior parietal regions induced a specific increase in ST. "Our symptom-lesion mapping study is the first demonstration of a causative link between brain functioning and ST," offers Dr. Urgesi. "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."

These results may even 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," suggests 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."

The researchers include Cosimo Urgesi, Universita` di Udine, Udine, Italy, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Eugenio Medea, Pordenone, Italy; Salvatore M. Aglioti, Sapienza Universita` di Roma, Roma, Italy, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Fondazione S. Lucia, Roma, Italy; Miran Skrap, Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Santa Maria della Misericordia, Udine, Italy; and Franco Fabbro, Universita` di Udine, Udine, Italy, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Eugenio Medea, Pordenone, Italy.
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:30 pm

"One swallow doesn't make it spring."
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by FBM » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:33 pm

Gawdzilla wrote:"One swallow doesn't make it spring."
No, in my experience, one swallow makes it floppy.
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:33 pm

FBM wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:"One swallow doesn't make it spring."
No, in my experience, one swallow makes it floppy.
"Spring", not "Stiff."
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by FBM » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:35 pm

Gawdzilla wrote:
FBM wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:"One swallow doesn't make it spring."
No, in my experience, one swallow makes it floppy.
"Spring", not "Stiff."
Sorry, I must have selective brain damage or something.
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken

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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:37 pm

FBM wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:
FBM wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:"One swallow doesn't make it spring."
No, in my experience, one swallow makes it floppy.
"Spring", not "Stiff."
Sorry, I must have selective brain damage or something.
That's the spirit. :tup:
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by FBM » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:40 pm

Gawdzilla wrote:
FBM wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:
FBM wrote:
Gawdzilla wrote:"One swallow doesn't make it spring."
No, in my experience, one swallow makes it floppy.
"Spring", not "Stiff."
Sorry, I must have selective brain damage or something.
That's the spirit. :tup:
:lol: ISWYDT.


Took me a couple of seconds longer than it should have, tho. :?
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken

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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Xamonas Chegwé » Fri Feb 12, 2010 4:49 pm

It's scary to know I might get a bash on the head, or a tumour, and suddenly get religion. :shock:
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by JimC » Sat Feb 13, 2010 5:20 am

Xamonas Chegwé wrote:It's scary to know I might get a bash on the head, or a tumour, and suddenly get religion. :shock:
You could probably steer it in the direction of feeling at one with the universe. That state of consciousness can be put to the service of a great variety of personal stances...
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by FBM » Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:40 am

Maybe, then, there's a related but opposite possibility? That is, maybe religion is hard-wired into the brain and we're the ones that are dain bramaged?
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken

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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by JimC » Sat Feb 13, 2010 8:00 am

FBM wrote:Maybe, then, there's a related but opposite possibility? That is, maybe religion is hard-wired into the brain and we're the ones that are dain bramaged?
Possibly there is a degree of genetic variability in the intensity of the module which promotes religious emotions, and atheists tend to have those gene variants with low intensity?
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:39 pm

FBM wrote:Maybe, then, there's a related but opposite possibility? That is, maybe religion is hard-wired into the brain and we're the ones that are dain bramaged?
I've only had a few major head traumas.
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Feck » Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:50 pm

Fundie bashing :baa: We are only trying to help :hehe:
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by Gawdzilla Sama » Sat Feb 13, 2010 12:51 pm

Feck wrote:Fundie bashing :baa: We are only trying to help :hehe:
"You see God NOW, bitch?"
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Re: Selective Brain Damage Modulates Human Spirituality

Post by FBM » Sun Feb 14, 2010 2:28 pm

JimC wrote:
FBM wrote:Maybe, then, there's a related but opposite possibility? That is, maybe religion is hard-wired into the brain and we're the ones that are dain bramaged?
Possibly there is a degree of genetic variability in the intensity of the module which promotes religious emotions, and atheists tend to have those gene variants with low intensity?
Sounds plausible, but I doubt it's that simple. So many environmental factors to consider.
Gawdzilla wrote:
Feck wrote:Fundie bashing :baa: We are only trying to help :hehe:
"You see God NOW, bitch?"
:lol:
"A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn't there. A theologian is the man who finds it." ~ H. L. Mencken

"We ain't a sharp species. We kill each other over arguments about what happens when you die, then fail to see the fucking irony in that."

"It is useless for the sheep to pass resolutions in favor of vegetarianism while the wolf remains of a different opinion."

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