Psychobiology of drug-induced religious experience: from the brain "locus of religion" to cognitive unbinding.
Substance Use & Misuse November 1, 2010 Paolo Nencini, Kathleen A Grant
Theories that religious experiences have an evolutionarily conserved biological basis may only apply to modern religious and cultural contexts, not to all historical beliefs. Culture strongly influences both the subjective effects of psychoactive drugs and religious thoughts, arguing against a common brain pathway uniquely responsible for these experiences. Personal beliefs, expectations, and experiences can bias the interpretation of drug-induced states as reflecting biologically based religious thought. Psychobiological research proposing specific brain mechanisms should consider anthropological and historical data. A model based on cognitive unbinding accommodates the evidence better than one positing a specific brain locus for religion.