Imaging & neuropsychological changes in brain with spiritual practice: A pilot study.
Santosh S Gupta, Shailendra M Maheshwari, Urvashi R Shah, Rose Dawn Bharath, Natasha Singh Dawra, Madhuri Shimpi Mahajan, Aishani Desai, Arvind Prajapati, Mangesh Ghodke
The Indian journal of medical research August 1, 2018 DOI: 10.4103/ijmr.ijmr_194_17 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial (pilot) Pilot study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Population | Healthy adult male volunteers aged 25-45 years |
| Interventions | Spiritual practice Brisk walk |
| Duration | 3 months |
| Measures | resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), 99mTc ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), Digit Symbol Test, Trail Making A |
| Keywords | Humans Tomography, emission-computed, single-photon Magnetic resonance imaging Brain mapping Pilot projects Cognition disorders Neuropsychological tests Spiritualism Adult Middle aged Female Neuropsychological evaluation Spiritual practice Single-photon tomography |
| Key findings | The authors report that three months of spiritual practice was associated with increased left precuneus connectivity, improved speed of processing (Digit Symbol Test), greater frontal perfusion, and improved mood, while brisk walking was associated with increased left frontal connectivity, improved focused attention (Trail Making A), and predominantly parietal perfusion improvement. They conclude that spiritual practice produces functional imaging and neuropsychological changes in the brain. |
Abstract
Background &
Objectives: Some studies have systematically assessed the effects of spiritual practice (SP) on the brain using combined neuropsychological testing and functional imaging. The objective of the present study was to compare imaging and neuropsychological changes in healthy individuals after SP and those with only physical exercise.
Methods: Healthy adult male volunteers, aged 25-45 yr were randomized into two groups. Group 1 (SP group) underwent the SP and group 2 (controls) did brisk walk for 30 min daily. Detailed neuropsychological evaluation, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and brain 99mTc ethyl cysteinate dimer single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were carried out for both groups before and three months after intervention.
Results: Post-intervention, resting state fMRI showed increased connections of left precuneus (in the posterior cingulate cortex area of default mode network) in group 1 and increased left frontal connections in group 2. The neuropsychological tests showed significant improvement in 'Speed of Processing' (Digit Symbol Test) in group 1 and in Focused Attention (Trail Making A) in group 2. The SPECT data in group 1 showed significant improvement in perfusion of the frontal areas, with relatively lesser improvement in parietal areas. Group 2 showed significant improvement in perfusion predominantly in parietal areas, as compared to frontal areas. In addition, significantly improved mood was reported by group 1 and not by group 2. Interpretation &
Conclusions: This pilot study shows important functional imaging and neuropsychological changes in the brain with SP.
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- The Neuroscience of Religious and Spiritual Practices: A Systematic Review of Neurotheological Evidence Brain and Behavior August 30, 2026
- Physicality of Spirituality: The Interplay of the Autonomic Nervous System, Prefrontal Cortex, and Spiritual Life in Light of Galatians 5:16-25 OBM Integrative and Complementary Medicine June 18, 2025
- Religion and Psychiatry in the Age of Neuroscience. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease July 1, 2020
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