Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies
We review and synthesize recent religion and brain studies and find that at a broad network neuroscience level, religious/spiritual experiences (RSEs) appear to depend crucially upon interactions between the default mode network (DMN), the frontoparietal network (FPN), and the salience network (SN)....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2024-11-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1495565/full |
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| author | Patrick McNamara Patrick McNamara Patrick McNamara Jordan Grafman Jordan Grafman |
| author_facet | Patrick McNamara Patrick McNamara Patrick McNamara Jordan Grafman Jordan Grafman |
| author_sort | Patrick McNamara |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We review and synthesize recent religion and brain studies and find that at a broad network neuroscience level, religious/spiritual experiences (RSEs) appear to depend crucially upon interactions between the default mode network (DMN), the frontoparietal network (FPN), and the salience network (SN). We see this general result as broadly consistent with Menon’s et al. “Triple Network or Tripartite Model” (TPM) of neuropsychiatric function/dysfunction. A TPM cycling model is here offered to account for details of neural bases of an array of RSE phenomena including ecstatic seizures, neuroimaging of religious participants, psychedelically induced mystical states and perceptions of supernatural agents. To adequately account for SA perceptions, however, recent evidence suggests that REM sleep and dreaming mechanisms likely play a role. Future research should examine neurodevelopmental mechanisms of acquired SA perceptions as well as societal-level effects such as brain mediated religious beliefs of in-group cohesion and out-group hostility. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-991809a1aa7a43bfb65fbcf7f9540e8e |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1662-5161 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-11-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Human Neuroscience |
| spelling | doaj-art-991809a1aa7a43bfb65fbcf7f9540e8e2025-08-20T02:07:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Human Neuroscience1662-51612024-11-011810.3389/fnhum.2024.14955651495565Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studiesPatrick McNamara0Patrick McNamara1Patrick McNamara2Jordan Grafman3Jordan Grafman4Department of Psychology, National University, San Diego, CA, United StatesBoston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United StatesCenter for Mind and Culture, Boston, MA, United StatesCognitive Neuroscience Lab, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab, Chicago, IL, United StatesDepartment of Psychology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, United StatesWe review and synthesize recent religion and brain studies and find that at a broad network neuroscience level, religious/spiritual experiences (RSEs) appear to depend crucially upon interactions between the default mode network (DMN), the frontoparietal network (FPN), and the salience network (SN). We see this general result as broadly consistent with Menon’s et al. “Triple Network or Tripartite Model” (TPM) of neuropsychiatric function/dysfunction. A TPM cycling model is here offered to account for details of neural bases of an array of RSE phenomena including ecstatic seizures, neuroimaging of religious participants, psychedelically induced mystical states and perceptions of supernatural agents. To adequately account for SA perceptions, however, recent evidence suggests that REM sleep and dreaming mechanisms likely play a role. Future research should examine neurodevelopmental mechanisms of acquired SA perceptions as well as societal-level effects such as brain mediated religious beliefs of in-group cohesion and out-group hostility.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1495565/fullneurosciencereligionspiritualitysupernatural agentsREM sleepdreams |
| spellingShingle | Patrick McNamara Patrick McNamara Patrick McNamara Jordan Grafman Jordan Grafman Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies Frontiers in Human Neuroscience neuroscience religion spirituality supernatural agents REM sleep dreams |
| title | Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies |
| title_full | Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies |
| title_fullStr | Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies |
| title_short | Advances in brain and religion studies: a review and synthesis of recent representative studies |
| title_sort | advances in brain and religion studies a review and synthesis of recent representative studies |
| topic | neuroscience religion spirituality supernatural agents REM sleep dreams |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnhum.2024.1495565/full |
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