According to a recent small study our spirituality and religiosity are located in a specific brain circuit of our neuro-fabric, the periaqueductal gray (PAG). It’s a brainstem region that is responsible for our emotional reaction to fear and pain but also for our behaviour such as altruistic help and unconditional love.

The study found that the brain circuit in the PAG turned to include positive nodes and negative nodes. Brain lesions (as a result of f.e. brain tumor) can either decrease or increase spiritual or religious beliefs by disrupting these nodes. For example, people can become hyper-religious if their brain lesions affect the negative nodes of the circuit.

Another remarkable finding of this study is that brain lesion locations that are typical for some brain diseases can also cross the spirituality circuits. To give an example, brain lesions causing Parkinson’s, cross the positive areas of the circuit, as do lesions that are involved in decreased spirituality.

So how does this information can help us? You can see these findings as a scientific proof that our physical symptoms of brain diseases go hand in hand with our spirituality and/or religion. That’s why a holistic approach in treating brain disease is so important as it is not only about our physical state but also about our mind (or spirit, if you wish).

Curious? HERE is the source