A recent science study has found that damage to a specific part of brain may lead people to become religious fundamentalists. Researchers reached the conclusion by analysing patients with focal brain lesions.

<h2>Path-breaking study</h2>

So far, most of the studies have focused on social and environmental factors like family upbringing and cultural influence in developing an individual’s religious beliefs. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on how genetic factors or brain function may influence religiosity.

<h2>Brain network linked with religious fundamentalism</h2>

Study corresponding author Michael Ferguson, who is an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of Neurospirituality Research at the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics, was quoted as saying by PsyPost that he indeed found a link between certain brain network and religious fundamentalism.

“My primary interest is and has been mystical experience. But in the process researching the cognitive neuroscience of mystical experience, I came across brain network associations with religious fundamentalism,” he said.

<h2>How was the study conducted</h2>

For research purposes, scientists relied upon a method called lesion network mapping. The technology helps identify how different regions of the brain are linked, and how damage to one area might disrupt related brain functions.

Then, two large groups of individuals with focal brain damage were selected to analyse how brain lesions might be interconnected to religious beliefs.

The first group mainly had war veterans who had suffered traumatic brain injuries. The second group had patients on board who got their brain damaged from various causes, such as strokes, surgical resections, or traumatic head injuries.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjXhbXDzdaIAxUOka8BHfu1DBIQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/consciousness-might-be-traversing-our-world-from-a-hidden-dimension-760388" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/consciousness-might-be-traversing-our-world-from-a-hidden-dimension-760388&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjXhbXDzdaIAxUOka8BHfu1DBIQxfQBKAB6BAgIEAE">Consciousness might be traversing our world from a hidden dimension</a>

Then, both groups completed a scale designed to measure religious fundamentalism.

Later, the precise locations of their brain lesions was measured using advanced technology like computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

<h2>Results</h2>

It was found that damage to the right hemisphere&nbsp;was associated with higher scores on the religious fundamentalism scale.

Also read:&nbsp;<a data-ved="2ahUKEwjXhbXDzdaIAxUOka8BHfu1DBIQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE" href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-spot-dangerous-bulge-around-mountain-of-god-volcano-warn-of-massive-eruption-759407" jsname="YKoRaf" ping="/url?sa=t&amp;source=web&amp;rct=j&amp;opi=89978449&amp;url=https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-spot-dangerous-bulge-around-mountain-of-god-volcano-warn-of-massive-eruption-759407&amp;ved=2ahUKEwjXhbXDzdaIAxUOka8BHfu1DBIQxfQBKAB6BAgPEAE">Scientists spot dangerous bulge around `Mountain of God` volcano, warn of massive eruption</a>

“The strength and reproducibility of the signal between psychological self-report measures of religious fundamentalism and the functional networks we identified in the brain surprised me,” Ferguson told PsyPost. “It increases confidence in the results.”

(With inputs from agencies)

A recent science study has found that damage to a specific part of brain may lead people to become religious fundamentalists. Researchers reached the conclusion by analysing patients with focal brain lesions.

A recent science study has found that damage to a specific part of brain may lead people to become religious fundamentalists. Researchers reached the conclusion by analysing patients with focal brain lesions. Path-breaking study So far, most of the studies have focused on social and environmental factors like family upbringing and cultural influence in developing an individual’s religious beliefs. The study, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, focuses on how genetic factors or brain function may influence religiosity. Brain network linked with religious fundamentalism Study corresponding author Michael Ferguson, who is an instructor in neurology at Harvard Medical School and director of Neurospirituality Research at the Center for Brain Circuit Therapeutics, was quoted as saying by PsyPost that he indeed found a link between certain brain network and religious fundamentalism. “My primary interest is and has been mystical experience. But in the process researching the cognitive neuroscience of mystical experience, I came across brain network associations with religious fundamentalism,” he said. How was the study conducted For research purposes, scientists relied upon a method called lesion network mapping. The technology helps identify how different regions of the brain are linked, and how damage to one area might disrupt related brain functions. Then, two large groups of individuals with focal brain damage were selected to analyse how brain lesions might be interconnected to religious beliefs. The first group mainly had war veterans who had suffered traumatic brain injuries. The second group had patients on board who got their brain damaged from various causes, such as strokes, surgical resections, or traumatic head injuries. Also read: Consciousness might be traversing our world from a hidden dimension Then, both groups completed a scale designed to measure religious fundamentalism. Later, the precise locations of their brain lesions was measured using advanced technology like computerised tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Results It was found that damage to the right hemisphere was associated with higher scores on the religious fundamentalism scale. Also read: Scientists spot dangerous bulge around `Mountain of God` volcano, warn of massive eruption “The strength and reproducibility of the signal between psychological self-report measures of religious fundamentalism and the functional networks we identified in the brain surprised me,” Ferguson told PsyPost. “It increases confidence in the results.” (With inputs from agencies)

Damage to brain network linked with increased religious fundamentalism: Study

In a new breakthrough research, scientists have observed that a brain network grows twice in size in people suffering from depression.

This network is known as the frontostriatal salience network and although, how this region of the brain functions has not been fully understood, it has been earlier linked to filtering of external stimuli and reward processing in the brain.

The research was carried out by a team from Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and the researchers believe that this discovery will help in creating future treatments for dementia, especially one which is specifically targeted to the brain network.

"We found that the frontostriatal salience network is expanded nearly twofold in the cortex of most individuals with depression,"&nbsp;wrote the researchers in the paper.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/china-virus-alert-newly-detected-tick-borne-virus-can-damage-brains-heres-how-757149">China virus alert! Newly-detected tick-borne virus can damage brain. Here's how</a>

"This effect was replicable in several samples and caused primarily by network border shifts, with three distinct modes of encroachment occurring in different individuals," they added.

<h2>How do the researchers analyse the brain network?</h2>

The research hinted that the frontostriatal salience network could enter a space which is generally the domain of other functional networks. The researchers have observed such border shifts getting inherited genetically in people.

The research can be used for precise functional mapping which can give the researchers a detailed look into every individual brain.

The researchers carried out an initial analysis of brain scans of 57 individuals - who were an average age of 41 - and compared it to 37 healthy controls which were identified in the frontostriatal salience network expansion.&nbsp;

The tests were also carried out on a smaller group over a year and a half and the brain image data collected from 114 children before and after a&nbsp;depression diagnosis showed similar results.

Watch:&nbsp;Teen girls' brains show rapid ageing after social isolation during pandemic

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/teen-girls-brains-show-rapid-ageing-after-social-isolation-during-pandemic-757914/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

"Salience network expansion was stable over time, unaffected by mood state, and detectable in children before the onset of depression later in adolescence,"&nbsp;stated the researchers.

The observation of the frontostriatal salience network expansion in the kids before diagnosis of depression suggested that it was a contributor to depression and a risk factor.

"These findings identify a trait-like brain network topology that may confer risk for depression and mood-state-dependent connectivity changes in frontostriatal circuits that predict the emergence and remission of depressive symptoms over time,"&nbsp;the researchers wrote in the paper.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new breakthrough research, scientists have observed that a brain network grows twice in size in people suffering from depression. This network is known as the frontostriatal salience network and although, how this region of the brain functions has not been fully understood, it has been earlier linked to filtering of external stimuli and reward processing in the brain.

In a new breakthrough research, scientists have observed that a brain network grows twice in size in people suffering from depression. This network is known as the frontostriatal salience network and although, how this region of the brain functions has not been fully understood, it has been earlier linked to filtering of external stimuli and reward processing in the brain. The research was carried out by a team from Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City and the researchers believe that this discovery will help in creating future treatments for dementia, especially one which is specifically targeted to the brain network. "We found that the frontostriatal salience network is expanded nearly twofold in the cortex of most individuals with depression," wrote the researchers in the paper. Also Read: China virus alert! Newly-detected tick-borne virus can damage brain. Here's how "This effect was replicable in several samples and caused primarily by network border shifts, with three distinct modes of encroachment occurring in different individuals," they added. How do the researchers analyse the brain network? The research hinted that the frontostriatal salience network could enter a space which is generally the domain of other functional networks. The researchers have observed such border shifts getting inherited genetically in people. The research can be used for precise functional mapping which can give the researchers a detailed look into every individual brain. The researchers carried out an initial analysis of brain scans of 57 individuals - who were an average age of 41 - and compared it to 37 healthy controls which were identified in the frontostriatal salience network expansion. The tests were also carried out on a smaller group over a year and a half and the brain image data collected from 114 children before and after a depression diagnosis showed similar results. Watch: Teen girls' brains show rapid ageing after social isolation during pandemic "Salience network expansion was stable over time, unaffected by mood state, and detectable in children before the onset of depression later in adolescence," stated the researchers. The observation of the frontostriatal salience network expansion in the kids before diagnosis of depression suggested that it was a contributor to depression and a risk factor. "These findings identify a trait-like brain network topology that may confer risk for depression and mood-state-dependent connectivity changes in frontostriatal circuits that predict the emergence and remission of depressive symptoms over time," the researchers wrote in the paper. (With inputs from agencies)

Depressed people have two times larger brain network in comparison to others: Study

brain-network

Brain Network, News on Brain Network, stories on Brain Network, articles on Brain Network, Brain Network stories at Wion, Brain Network news, Brain Network latest news