Alone But Not Lonely

Abstract

Spirituality, often expressed through practices such as prayer and meditation, is increasingly being studied within neuroscience as a measurable cognitive and affective process. These practices are associated with meaning-making, emotional regulation, and perceived social connection. At the same time, loneliness has been linked to alterations in large-scale brain networks involved in self-referential processing and social cognition, particularly the default mode network (DMN). This project explores the idea that spiritual practices may influence how loneliness is processed in the brain by engaging overlapping neural systems. Neuroimaging evidence suggests that loneliness is associated with altered DMN connectivity and increased self-focused rumination, while spiritual practices recruit brain systems involved in emotional regulation, reward, and meaning-related processing. Spiritual engagement has also been linked to broader neurophysiological changes suggesting effects beyond localized brain activity. Together, these findings point to a potential pathway through which spirituality may shape the experience of social connection at the neural level. However, current evidence remains largely correlational. Individuals experiencing chronic loneliness may benefit from engaging in structured spiritual or meaning-based practices, though further research is needed to evaluate their effects.