
Religious and spiritual experiences activate the brain reward circuits in the same way as love, sex, gambling, drugs and music, finds a study.
The findings suggests that religious and spiritual experiences feelings share common neural mechanisms associated with romantic and parental love, reward, and drug-induced euphoric states.
‘Powerful spiritual feelings activated nucleus accumbens - a critical brain region for processing reward.’
Tweet it Now
Among such rewarding stimuli, religious experience uniquely contributes to establishment of social systems with far-reaching consequences for pro- and antisocial behaviours, said the researchers from the University of Utah in the US.
In the study, the researchers conducted functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans on 19 young Mormons -- members of the Latter-Day Saints church -- when they were reading religious texts and reported feeling 'close to the spirit.'
The results showed that powerful spiritual feelings activated nucleus accumbens -- a critical brain region for processing reward.
This brain region has been previously linked to feelings of romantic love and addictions like gambling, the researchers said.
In addition, spiritual feelings were also associated with the medial prefrontal cortex -- a complex brain region that is activated by tasks involving valuation, judgment and moral reasoning. Brain regions associated with focused attention were also activated.
"Religious experience is perhaps the most influential part of how people make decisions that affect all of us, for good and for ill. Understanding what happens in the brain to contribute to those decisions is really important," said Jeff Anderson, neuroradiologist at the University of Utah.
The findings suggest that religious and spiritual experiences feelings share common neural mechanisms associated with romantic and parental love, reward, and drug-induced euphoric states.
Among such rewarding stimuli, religious experience uniquely contributes to establishment of social systems with far-reaching consequences for pro and antisocial behaviours, the researchers said.
The study was published in the journal Social Neuroscience.
Source: IANS
The results showed that powerful spiritual feelings activated nucleus accumbens -- a critical brain region for processing reward.
This brain region has been previously linked to feelings of romantic love and addictions like gambling, the researchers said.
In addition, spiritual feelings were also associated with the medial prefrontal cortex -- a complex brain region that is activated by tasks involving valuation, judgment and moral reasoning. Brain regions associated with focused attention were also activated.
"Religious experience is perhaps the most influential part of how people make decisions that affect all of us, for good and for ill. Understanding what happens in the brain to contribute to those decisions is really important," said Jeff Anderson, neuroradiologist at the University of Utah.
The findings suggest that religious and spiritual experiences feelings share common neural mechanisms associated with romantic and parental love, reward, and drug-induced euphoric states.
Among such rewarding stimuli, religious experience uniquely contributes to establishment of social systems with far-reaching consequences for pro and antisocial behaviours, the researchers said.
The study was published in the journal Social Neuroscience.
Source: IANS
Recommended Reading
Latest Lifestyle News

Summer skincare tips for underarm sweating and smelly armpits: For silky smooth underarms, make sure to shave armpit hair, use deodorant roll-on, moisturize, and exfoliate properly

Is sleep the secret of success? Having a good night's sleep can make you more productive at work. So, sleep better to work well.

How to deal with loneliness? Just sitting in a crowd and watching live sports can make you stop feeling lonely.

Are hot showers good for you? Bathing with hot water can calm your mind, relieve stress, relax your muscles and help you sleep well. Choose hot water bath every day to stay healthy

Walking is a complex activity that can be impacted by multitasking, highlighting the importance of maintaining physical and cognitive health as we age.