The neuroscientific study of spiritual practices
Frontiers in Psychology March 18, 2014 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2014.00215 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Meditation |
| Keywords | Neuroimaging Perspective graphical Trance Consciousness Cognitive psychology Psychotherapist |
| Citations | 77 |
| Key findings | Neuroimaging studies have helped elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms associated with spiritual practices, though the field confronts unique methodological challenges. |
Abstract
The purpose of this paper will be to provide a perspective on the current state of the research evaluating the neurobiological correlates of spiritual practices and review the methodological issues that confront this research field. There are many types of spiritual practices that might be studied including prayer and meditation, as well as unusual practices such as mediumistic trance states, speaking in tongues, and also drug-induced experiences. Current studies have utilized neuroimaging techniques including functional magnetic resonance imaging, single photon emission computed tomography, and positron emission tomography. These studies have helped elucidate the neurobiological mechanisms associated with spiritual practices. Such studies confront unique challenges for scientific methodology including determining the most appropriate objective measures such as neuroimaging studies and physiological parameters, and correlating them with subjective measures that help capture states of spiritual significance. Overall, a neuroscientific study of spiritual practices and experiences has the potential to provide fascinating data to further our understanding of the relationship between the brain and such phenomena.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on meditation, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mindfulness training as a clinical intervention: A conceptual and empirical review. Clinical populations | 2003 | Review | |
| Mindfulness: Theoretical Foundations and Evidence for its Salutary Effects | 2007 | Review | |
| Mindfulness Interventions | 2016 | Review | |
| Mind the Hype: A Critical Evaluation and Prescriptive Agenda for Research on Mindfulness and Meditation | 2017 | Review | |
| Mindfulness and acceptance: expanding the cognitive-behavioral tradition | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 24
- Mediumship: review of quantitatives studies published in the 21st century Archives of Clinical Psychiatry (São Paulo) October 1, 2015
- Editorial: What can Neuroscience Learn from Contemplative Practices? Frontiers in Psychology November 10, 2015
- Near-Death Experiences and Religious Experience: An Exploration of Spirituality in Medicine Religions February 11, 2022
- Autonomous neural network activation during religious worship experiences using heart rate variability measurements Religion Brain & Behavior October 10, 2023
- God Is a Porcupine—Brain, Consciousness and Spacetime Physics Journal of Modern Physics 2017
and 19 more in the library
Cites 29
- Effectiveness of a meditation-based stress reduction program in the treatment of anxiety disorders American Journal of Psychiatry July 1, 1992
- Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences November 23, 2011
- Self-awareness, self-regulation, and self-transcendence (S-ART): a framework for understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of mindfulness Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Regulation of the Neural Circuitry of Emotion by Compassion Meditation: Effects of Meditative Expertise PLoS One March 25, 2008
- Mystical experiences occasioned by the hallucinogen psilocybin lead to increases in the personality domain of openness Journal of Psychopharmacology September 28, 2011
and 24 more in the library