The areas of brain responsible for the many aspects of spiritual
experiences have been revealed by US researchers. Scientists have
speculated for years that the human brain features a “God spot”, one
distinct area of the brain responsible for spirituality. The University
of Missouri researchers have based their study on a previously published
work, which indicated spiritual transcendence is associated with
decreased right parietal lobe functioning, Daily Mail reported. In
addition, the researchers determined that other aspects of spiritual
functioning are related to increased activity in the frontal lobe.
“We have found a neuropsychological basis for spirituality, but it’s
not isolated to one specific area of the brain,” said Brick Johnstone,
professor of health psychology in the School of Health
Professions. ”Spirituality is a much more dynamic concept that uses many
parts of the brain.” In the most recent study, Johnstone studied 20
people with traumatic brain injuries affecting the right parietal lobe,
the area of the brain situated a few inches above the right ear.
He surveyed participants on characteristics of spirituality, such as
how close they felt to a higher power and if they felt their lives were
part of a divine plan. He found that the participants with more
significant injury to their right parietal lobe showed an increased
feeling of closeness to a higher power. Johnstone says the right side of
the brain is associated with self-orientation, whereas the left side is
associated with how individuals relate to others, the newspaper added.
Source: IANS
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