Reward, salience, and attentional networks are activated by religious experience in devout Mormons.
Social Neuroscience February 1, 2018 Michael A Ferguson, Jared A. Nielsen, Jace B King et al.
A recognizable feeling central to the devotional practice of devout Mormons was reproducibly associated with activation in nucleus accumbens, ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and frontal attentional regions. Nucleus accumbens activation preceded peak spiritual feelings by 1–3 seconds and was replicated in four separate tasks. Attentional activation in the anterior cingulate and frontal eye fields was greater in the right hemisphere. The association of abstract ideas and brain reward circuitry may interact with frontal attentional and emotive salience processing, suggesting a mechanism whereby doctrinal concepts may come to be intrinsically rewarding and motivate behavior in religious individuals.