The spiritual brain: selective cortical lesions modulate human self-transcendence.
The predisposition of human beings toward spiritual feeling, thinking, and behaviors is measured by a supposedly stable personality trait called self-transcendence. Although a few neuroimaging studies suggest that neural activation of a large fronto-parieto-temporal network may underpin a variety of spiritual experiences, information on the causative link between such a network and spirituality is lacking. Combining pre- and post-neurosurgery personality assessment with advanced brain-lesion mapping techniques, we found that selective damage to left and right inferior posterior parietal regions induced a specific increase of self-transcendence. Therefore, modifications of neural activity in temporoparietal areas may induce unusually fast modulations of a stable personality trait related to transcendental self-referential awareness. These results hint at the active, crucial role of left and right parietal systems in determining self-transcendence and cast new light on the neurobiological bases of altered spiritual and religious attitudes and behaviors in neurological and mental disorders.
Dipartimento di Filosofia, Università di Udine, via Margreth, 3, I-33100, Udine, Italy. cosimo.urgesi@uniud.it
Cosimo
C
Urgesi
Salvatore M
SM
Aglioti
Miran
M
Skrap
Franco
F
Fabbro
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001519:Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D001931:Brain Mapping; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D005910:Glioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008579:Meningioma / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012649:Self Concept; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D013850:Thinking / Q000502:physiology*