Links to Spirituality Found in the Brain

My friend Tom sent the following article to me. And I find it extremely interesting -- and even comforting -- to think that:

 A) people are naturally neurologically equipped to feel self-transcendence and that this study allegedly was able to indicate this. This hard-wire programming tells me that

       1) Evolution found this important enough to keep it through the ages.
       2) Since I believe God is responsible for evolution, this is His way to keep us (or some of us, at least) more in tune (like reception bars on a phone) to the recognition of their placement in the whole of His universe.

B) As damage occurs to the brain this study's report that the feeling of self-transcendence increases is perhaps the body's way of readying itself to die, after all, the body doesn't know that surgery is for the benefit of its life, it views surgery as a red flag: "warning, warning, body being cut open, damage, prepare to exit!" Perhaps this can be likened to the shock that takes place when one gets a limb severed and is still conscious, yet cannot feel pain. A rather merciful event if you ask me. Combine the self-transcendence with shock and you have a very peaceful pre-exiting preparation.

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Links to Spirituality Found in the Brain

LiveScience Staff
Source: Yahoo News - Original Post
Thu Feb 11, 10:10 pm ET

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."