Religious and mystical experiences as artifacts of temporal lobe function: a general hypothesis

Neuro-functional modeling of near-death experiences in contexts of altered states of consciousness

Near-death experiences (NDEs) including out-of-body experiences (OBEs) have been fascinating phenomena of perception both for affected persons and for communities in science and medicine. Modern progress in the recording of changing brain functions during the time between clinical death and brain death opened the perspective to address and understand the generation of NDEs in brain states of altered consciousness. Changes of consciousness can experimentally be induced in well-controlled clinical or laboratory settings. Reports of the persons having experienced the changes can inform about the similarity of the experiences with those from original NDEs. Thus, we collected neuro-functional models of NDEs including OBEs with experimental backgrounds of drug consumption, epilepsy, brain stimulation, and ischemic stress, and included so far largely unappreciated data from fighter pilot tests under gravitational stress generating cephalic nervous system ischemia. Since we found a large overlap of NDE themes or topics from original NDE reports with those from neuro-functional NDE models, we can state that, collectively, the models offer scientifically appropriate causal explanations for the occurrence of NDEs. The generation of OBEs, one of the NDE themes, can be localized in the temporo-parietal junction (TPJ) of the brain, a multimodal association area. The evaluated literature suggests that NDEs may emerge as hallucination-like phenomena from a brain in altered states of consciousness (ASCs).

Parental religiosity is associated with changes in youth functional network organization and cognitive performance in early adolescence

Parental religious beliefs and practices (religiosity) may have profound effects on youth, especially in neurodevelopmentally complex periods such as adolescence. In n = 5566 children (median age = 120.0 months; 52.1% females; 71.2% with religious affiliation) from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, relationships between parental religiosity and non-religious beliefs on family values (data on youth beliefs were not available), topological properties of youth resting-state brain networks, and executive function, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility were investigated. Lower caregiver education and family income were associated with stronger parental beliefs (p < 0.01). Strength of both belief types was correlated with lower efficiency, community structure, and robustness of frontoparietal control, temporoparietal, and dorsal attention networks (p < 0.05), and lower Matrix Reasoning scores. Stronger religious beliefs were negatively associated (directly and indirectly) with multiscale properties of salience and default-mode networks, and lower Flanker and Dimensional Card Sort scores, but positively associated with properties of the precuneus. Overall, these effects were small (Cohen's d ~ 0.2 to ~ 0.4). Overlapping neuromodulatory and cognitive effects of parental beliefs suggest that early adolescents may perceive religious beliefs partly as context-independent rules on expected behavior. However, religious beliefs may also differentially affect cognitive flexibility, attention, and inhibitory control and their neural substrates.

A Transmissive Theory of Brain Function: Implications for Health, Disease, and Consciousness

Identifying a complete, accurate model of brain function would allow neuroscientists and clinicians to make powerful neuropsychological predictions and diagnoses as well as develop more effective treatments to mitigate or reverse neuropathology. The productive model of brain function, which has been dominant in the field for centuries, cannot easily accommodate some higher-order neural processes associated with consciousness and other neuropsychological phenomena. However, in recent years, it has become increasingly evident that the brain is highly receptive to and readily emits electromagnetic (EM) fields and light. Indeed, brain tissues can generate endogenous, complex EM fields and ultraweak photon emissions (UPEs) within the visible and near-visible EM spectra. EM-based neural mechanisms, such as ephaptic coupling and non-visual optical brain signaling, expand canonical neural signaling modalities and are beginning to disrupt conventional models of brain function. Here, we present an evidence-based argument for the existence of brain processes that are caused by the transmission of extracerebral, EM signals and recommend experimental strategies with which to test the hypothesis. We argue for a synthesis of productive and transmissive models of brain function and discuss implications for the study of consciousness, brain health, and disease.

Determination of health fatalism and the factors affecting health fatalism in patients with epilepsy in the North of Turkey

OBJECTIVE

In individuals with epilepsy, health fatalism can affect their perceptions of health and their responses to solutions offered, both positively and negatively. This study aimed to investigate health fatalism in people with epilepsy in Turkey and the factors that influence their health fatalism.

METHOD

This descriptive and cross-sectional study was conducted between December 2019 and April 2020 with 100 epilepsy patients who were referred to a neurology outpatient clinic in the North of Turkey. The data for the study were collected using a descriptive information form and the Health Fatalism Scale (HES).

RESULTS

The total mean score on the Health Fatalism Scale for the study participants was found to be 56,16 ± 15,71. Significant association was found between health fatalism and educational status (p < 0,05), polytherapy (p < 0,05), and frequency of seizures (p < 0,001).

CONCLUSION

In this study, individuals with epilepsy expressed high levels of fatalism in their health beliefs. It was found that illiterate individuals with epilepsy held more fatalistic beliefs. In addition, it was found that participants who used polytherapy and those who had frequent seizures also had higher levels of fatalistic health beliefs.

Investigating the effect of age and gender of users on improving spirituality by using EEG

The current study aims to examine the effect of age and gender of users on spirituality by using an experiment. Literature believes that age and gender have a huge effect on increased or decreased spirituality. The current study aims to examine these theories by a scientific and rational method and using cognitive neuroscience (recording electroencephalograph). In order to do this, an electroencephalograph was recorded for 45 users. Findings show that there is a significant relationship between age and gender of users and spirituality (F = 4.1, p < 0.05) (F = 3.8, p < 0.05). Results showed that users at older ages reached spirituality sooner. Thus, it can be said in regard to the relationship between age and formation/improvement of spirituality that users at older ages reach spirituality sooner than users at younger ages. Results of data analysis showed that alpha and theta brain signals increased in male students at the 30-35 age range; while this increase was slower at the 20-29 age range.

Recording the Users' Brain Waves in Manmade Religious Environments Based on Psychological Assessment of Form in Creation/Enhancement of Spiritual Sense

The present study tries analyzing the psychological effects of such an indicator as form (dome's pattern) in architectural designing of the religious environments like mosques so as to investigate the creation/enhancement of spiritual sense and come up with the best pattern for the construction of such environments in an order of priority. The study makes use of a combined analysis method in such a way that a descriptive-analytical method has been applied in the first section followed by simulations in the second section and, then, laboratory method in the third part through taking advantage of instruments for recording the users' brain waves (EEG/QEEG). taking an unfamiliar and irregular form into account for the constructed religious environments like mosques can adversely and unpleasantly influence the addressees' feelings and the negligence of this matter would cause the creation of an environment with such unfavorable features. Furthermore, in regard of the successful form for construction of the religious environments, the first, the third, the fourth, the second and finally the fifth patterns can be introduced in an order of priority.

Spirituality and quality of life in epilepsy and other chronic neurological disorders

PURPOSE

The patients with neurological disorders often report a different quality of life (QoL), which is in part explained by clinical-pathological or psychosocial variables. This study evaluated spirituality in patients with chronic brain pathologies, aiming to clarify its specificity and position to a multidimensional model of QoL.

METHODS

A hundred and ninety-nine adult patients with epilepsy (E) (n = 88), mild cognitive impairment (MCI) (n = 32), ischemic vascular disorders (n = 29), tumors (n = 28), or multiple sclerosis (MS) (n = 22), and 66 healthy subjects were assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQoL) 100, Spiritual, Religious and Personal Beliefs (SRPB), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) for the QoL, spirituality, depression, and anxiety. The Multiple Ability Self-Report Questionnaire (MASQ) and neuropsychological tests evaluated the cognitive functions.

RESULTS

Factor analysis of the SRPB, STAI, and BDI scores yielded four factors: Personal Meaning, Inner Freedom, Awe and Openness, and Mood. Quality of life and spirituality were very similar between the patient groups. In comparison with the controls, all of the patients showed worse QoL, spirituality, mood, and lexical-memory abilities, and the patients with MCI and brain vascular disorders (BVD) also revealed worse cognitive impairments. Trait anxiety, self-rated health, age, and the SRPB Inner independence and Hope and optimism facets predicted the patients' WHOQoL 100 total score; the spiritual, affective, and socioeconomic variables predicted many QoL domains, but diagnosis only affected the Physical domain. Anxiety, self-rated health, Hope and optimism, and Personal beliefs predicted the controls' WHOQoL 100 total score.

CONCLUSIONS

Spirituality, as marked by the meaning of self, inner independence, and transcendence, is distinct from mood. It cooperates, together with the affective states, to determine the QoL of the patients with chronic brain pathologies whereas diagnosis has a limited impact. These findings support a multidimensional cross-disease model for the QoL in neurological disorders.

Hematological and Psychophysiological Correlates of Anomalous Information Reception in Mediums: A Preliminary Exploration

CONTEXT

Modern research with mediums-individuals who regularly experience and report communication from the deceased-includes investigations of mediums' accuracy, psychology, phenomenology, and electrophysiology and the therapeutic potential of mediumship readings for the bereaved. Anecdotal reports imply that chronic medical problems may be a serious concern for mediums.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was two-fold: (I) to systematically investigate the hematological and psychophysiological correlates of anomalous information reception (AIR, the reporting of accurate and specific information about the deceased in the absence of prior knowledge, feedback, or deceptive means) and (II) to compare the reported health issues of mediums and non-mediums.

DESIGN

(I) A repeated-measures design in which mediums engaged in blinded mediumship readings and a control condition was used. (II) A parallel-groups design was used to compare mediums' and non-mediums' responses to an anonymous online survey regarding their health issues.

PARTICIPANTS

(I) Data was collected from five Windbridge Certified Research Mediums. (II) Survey responses from 125 mediums were compared to responses from 222 non-mediums.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

(I) General physiological measures and 28 hematological elements were assessed. (II) Reports regarding autoimmune disease diagnoses and specific ailments by organ system were collected.

RESULTS

Novel findings from this study included the following: (I) No significant hematological or physiological changes were seen in the mediums when pre- and post-condition comparisons were made for the counter-balanced sessions. (II) Compared to non-mediums, more mediums reported having at least one autoimmune disease (35.2% vs. 18.9%; p = 0.00076; z = 3.37; h = 0.4). Mediums also reported experiencing more health issues than did non-mediums (8.08 ± 5.38 vs. 5.09 ± 4.17 symptoms; p < 0.000001, g = 0.6). Specifically, more mediums than non-mediums (all p < 0.004) reported water retention (19.2% vs. 5.0%, z = 4.23, h = 0.5), bruising easily (20.0% vs. 9.0%, z = 2.93, h = 0.3), gastrointestinal issues (35.2% vs. 18.5%, z = 3.48, h = 0.4), headaches/migraines (26.4% vs. 11.3%, z = 3.63, h = 0.4), asthma (20.0% vs. 9.0%, z = 2.93, h = 0.3), food intolerances (28.0% vs. 9.9%, z = 4.37, h = 0.5), and sleep disturbances (40.8% vs. 14.9%, z = 5.41 h = 0.6). The proportions of participants reporting exophthalmos, chronic fatigue syndrome, and ankle sprains were not different.

Interactions between Temporal Lobe Signs, Imaginings, Beliefs and Gender: Their Effect upon Logical Inference

Rotton's Paralogic Test, Wilson-Barber's Inventory of Childhood Memories and Imaginings (ICMI) and the PPI (Personal Philosophy Inventory) were administered to 100 male and 100 female university students. Both sexes displayed moderately strong (0.50) correlations between content-selected and factor analyzed clusters of possible temporal lobe signs, exotic beliefs and the numbers of childhood imaginings. Although there were no sex differences between the accuracy of logical statements that contained paranormal or neutral content, males who displayed more temporal lobe signs were more accurate for logical items that contained paranormal content. Females who displayed more imaginings were more accurate for valid than for invalid items. Accuracy for items with paranormal content increased with exotic beliefs but not with conservative religious beliefs for both sexes. The relationship between exotic beliefs and accuracy for items with paranormal content was especially strong for females. These results suggest: 1) gender differences in the neurocognitive processes that contribute to logical problem solving and 2) accuracy may depend upon the degree to which the subject matter is commensurate with the person's history of enhanced temporal lobe signs, capacity for fantasy and imaginings and beliefs in exotic concepts.

Temporal Lobe Signs, the Dissociative Experiences Scale and the Hemispheric Quotient

Scores for the inference of Temporal Lobe Signs, the Dissociative Experiences Scale, and the Hemispheric Quotient were obtained for men and women. Moderately strong positive correlations (.70) were found between indices of complex partial epileptic-like signs and the Dissociative Experiences Scale; there were no correlations between the Hemispheric Quotient and the Dissociative Experiences Scale or Temporal Lobe Signs. However, factor-derived left hemispheric items (related to religiosity, verbal meaning, and sense of presence) and right hemispheric items (depersonalization, automatic behaviors) displayed the appropriate Hemispheric Quotient. Scores on the Dissociative Experiences Scale were most strongly correlated with the right hemispheric factor.

Role of Contextual Mediation in Direct versus Reconstructed Angelic Encounters

A sample of 89 instances of angelic encounters found on Internet web sites were analyzed using the classification scheme for contextual variables proposed by Lange, Houran, Harte, and Havens (1996). Consistent with previous research, the contents of the contextual variables operating during these angelic encounters were consistent with the content of percipients' experiences. In addition, contextual variables were related to the modalities of the experiences as well as to the percipients' apparent arousal. The proposed existence of two different types of encounters was supported. Percipients' experiences in “direct” encounters strongly resembled those found in other hallucinatory experiences such as poltergeist-like episodes, death-bed visions, and shamanic trances. By contrast, there is strong evidence that “reconstructed” encounters are often the result of accidental or puzzling (but otherwise normal) encounters with actual human beings.

Exotic Beliefs May Be Substitutes for Religious Beliefs

The percentages of items of the Personal Philosophy Inventories that reflect either traditional religious or exotic (alien intelligence, reincarnation) beliefs were compared for 504 female and 343 male university students as a function of church attendance; the data were collected over a 10-yr. period. A statistically significant interaction between the two clusters of beliefs and church attendance suggested that exotic beliefs may substitute for religious beliefs. Years of university experience did not reduce the incidence of either type of belief while preteenage religious experiences enhanced endorsement of both religious and exotic beliefs.

Even "Bigger Gods" developed amongst the pastoralist followers of Moses and Mohammed: Consistent with uncertainty and disadvantage, but not prosocality

The gods of monotheistic religions, which began amongst pastoralists and defeated exiles, are closer to Big Gods than those associated with ancient city-based polities. The development of Big Gods is contingent upon a need to reduce uncertainty and negative feelings in combination with a relatively high level of prosociality, rather than a need to induce or assess prosociality.

Traumatic and Mystical Experiences

This article examines the similarity between the mystical experience and the traumatic experience, the latter involving a fundamental threat to life or bodily integrity. Despite the necessary caution and reservations, there are many similarities between these two kinds of experience. Indeed, the resemblance is not restricted to a phenomenological description but is far more deeply rooted: a result of the subject’s encounter with nothingness. This comparison provides us with an opportunity to improve our understanding of both the traumatic and the mystical experience as well as phenomena such as Posttraumatic Growth and Spiritual Crisis.

Free will and paranormal beliefs

Free will is one of the fundamental aspects of human cognition. In the context of cognitive neuroscience, various experiments on time perception, sensorimotor coordination, and agency suggest the possibility that it is a robust illusion (a feeling independent of actual causal relationship with actions) constructed by neural mechanisms. Humans are known to suffer from various cognitive biases and failures, and the sense of free will might be one of them. Here I report a positive correlation between the belief in free will and paranormal beliefs (UFO, reincarnation, astrology, and psi). Web questionnaires involving 2076 subjects (978 males, 1087 females, and 11 other genders) were conducted, which revealed significant positive correlations between belief in free will (theory and practice) and paranormal beliefs. There was no significant correlation between belief in free will and knowledge in paranormal phenomena. Paranormal belief scores for females were significantly higher than those for males, with corresponding significant (albeit weaker) difference in belief in free will. These results are consistent with the view that free will is an illusion which shares common cognitive elements with paranormal beliefs.

Temporal lobe discharges and glossolalia

Glossolalia (speaking in tongues) is a religious phenomenon of which there has been only limited scientific investigation. Described here is the case of a 44-year-old woman who had clonic jerking of the left forearm while speaking in tongues. Waking EEG while she was thinking of nothing in particular was normal. After several minutes of silently praying in tongues she manifested right temporal sharp wave discharges and may have been in a state resembling light sleep. Possible relationships between glossolalia, ecstatic religious phenomena, and temporal lobe electrical discharges are discussed.

Neurotheology-Matters of the Mind or Matters that Mind?

Understanding the true nature of an individual, be it a child or an adult, a male or a female, is almost an impossible task. The vast abyss like behaviour of a human mind is virtually unfathomable. Yet, with the advent of neurosciences, it can be said that we, as the medical fraternity, have been in a position to decipher a considerable part of the human mind. This review accepts the fact that religion and theology have extreme reverence and respect. Yet, when it comes to extraordinary beliefs, phenomena, unimaginable feats and emotional deviations of the human mind, especially those which involve deep faiths and beliefs, comprehensive neuroscientific explanations from the emerging data, with the aid of elaborate neuroimaging, have proved to be extremely rational and logical. This review did make an attempt to untangle some facets of spirituality and to make rational explanations of the same. It was an attempt to understand the function of the mind (as an abstract) and the brain, on the spiritual experiences and sudden enlightments, the experience of togetherness with the universe, and to understand the phenomena of trance and an altered state of consciousness, which is better referred as the emerging science of neurotheology.

From "Special K" to "Special M": the evolution of the recreational use of ketamine and methoxetamine

This article reviews the recreational use of ketamine ("Special K"; KET) and explores the recent diffusion of its new derivative methoxetamine ("Special M"; MXE). The literature search on the nonclinical/recreational use of KET and MXE was carried out in a range of medical databases. Considering the limitations of peer-reviewed information, data were integrated with a qualitative assessment of a range of websites, drug fora, and other online resources including e-newsgroups, chat rooms, mailing lists, e-newsletters, and bulletin boards. The recreational use of KET has started since its discovery in 1962. This was due to its rapid onset, short duration of action, and peculiar psychotropic effects ("K-hole"). The latter effect ranges from confusion to dissociation and depersonalization (near-death experience). However, KET abuse is often associated with physical and psychological side effects, of which the worst is urological/bladder toxicity. Recently, MXE has emerged as a legal and "bladder-friendly" KET alternative. MXE presents with the same dissociative effect of KET, but with slower onset and longer duration of action. However, MXE seems to be associated with worse side effects than KET, ranging from mood disturbances/suicidal attempts to acute cerebellar toxicity. After 50 years of its discovery, KET has led to the emergence of MXE. However, this latter derivative does not appear to be a safer alternative to KET itself.

[Neurotheology: neurobiological models of religious experience]

Religions are evolutionary selected social and cultural phenomena. They represent today belief and normative systems on which the main parts of our culture are based. For a long time religions have been seen as mainly originating from a spectrum of religious experiences. These include a broad spectrum of experiences and are astonishingly widespread in the population. The most consistent and transculturally uniform religious experiences are the mystical experiences. Only these (and the prayer experience) have factually been researched in detail neurobiologically. This article presents a review of empirical results and hypothetical approaches to explain mystical religious experiences neurobiologically. Some of the explanatory hypotheses possess logical evidence, some are even supported by neurobiological studies, but all of them have their pitfalls and are at best partially consistent. One important insight from the evidence reviewed here is that there may be a whole array of different neurophysiological conditions which may result in the same core religious mystical experiences.

Spirituality: an overlooked predictor of placebo effects?

Empirical findings have identified spirituality as a potential health resource. Whereas older research has associated such effects with the social component of religion, newer conceptualizations propose that spiritual experiences and the intrapersonal effects that are facilitated by regular spiritual practice might be pivotal to understanding potential salutogenesis. Ongoing studies suggest that spiritual experiences and practices involve a variety of neural systems that may facilitate neural 'top-down' effects that are comparable if not identical to those engaged in placebo responses. As meaningfulness seems to be both a hallmark of spirituality and placebo reactions, it may be regarded as an overarching psychological concept that is important to engaging and facilitating psychophysiological mechanisms that are involved in health-related effects. Empirical evidence suggests that spirituality may under certain conditions be a predictor of placebo response and effects. Assessment of patients' spirituality and making use of various resources to accommodate patients' spiritual needs reflect our most current understanding of the physiological, psychological and socio-cultural aspects of spirituality, and may also increase the likelihood of eliciting self-healing processes. We advocate the position that a research agenda addressing responses and effects of both placebo and spirituality could therefore be (i) synergistic, (ii) valuable to each phenomenon on its own, and (iii) contributory to an extended placebo paradigm that is centred around the concept of meaningfulness.

Near-Death Experience: Out-of-Body and Out-of-Brain?

During the last decades, several clinical cases have been reported where patients described profound subjective experiences when near-death, a phenomenon called “near-death experience” (NDE). Recurring features in the accounts involving bright lights and tunnels have sometimes been interpreted as evidence of a new life after death; however the origin of such experiences is largely unknown, and both biological and psychological interpretations have been suggested. The study of NDEs represents one of the most important topics of cognitive neuroscience. In the present paper the current state of knowledge has been reviewed, with particular regard to the main features of NDE, scientific explanations and the theoretical debate surrounding this phenomenon.

Near-death states reported in a sample of 50 misusers

Increase in recreational ketamine use may be a cause for concern. We aimed here at assessing, in a sample of ketamine misusers, concordance between the typical near-death experience (NDE) features and the on-drug psychoactive effects the subjects experienced. In 2003-2005, a sample of previous ketamine misusers recollecting a ketamine-related NDE were recruited through snowballing and screened with the means of the Greyson NDE Scale; 125 participants made an initial contact with the researcher and 50 reported a minimum score of seven at the "Greyson NDE Scale". Interviewees were in the range 21-66 years old; 27 participants (54%) were educated at BA level, 18 (36%) had an MSc, and 5 (10%) a PhD. Eight (16%) interviewees had a definite religious background. An average lifetime ketamine intake of 140 occasions was reported by the interviewees, who typically presented with a polydrug, including cannabis and MDMA/ecstasy, misuse history. In 45 (90%) cases, the NDE occurred during the first few occasions of intake. Most frequent features of reported NDE states included: altered perception of time (90%), strong sense of detaching from own physical body (88%), and a sense of peace/joy (76% of subjects). Although results here described were elicited from a self-selected, nonrandomized, limited size sample of misusers, we suggest that recreational ketamine intake may be associated with occurrence of near-death related states.