Department of Neurology, Boston University School of Medicine, MA, USA.
Behav Neurol. 2011;24(2):133-41. doi: 10.3233/BEN-2011-0282.
Behavioral neurologists have long been interested in changes in religiosity following circumscribed brain lesions. Advances in neuroimaging and cognitive experimental techniques have been added to these classical lesion-correlational approaches in attempt to understand changes in religiosity due to brain damage. In this paper we assess processing dynamics of religious cognition in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). We administered a four-condition story-based priming procedure, and then covertly probed for changes in religious belief. Story-based priming emphasized mortality salience, religious ritual, and beauty in nature (Aesthetic). In neurologically intact controls, religious belief-scores significantly increased following the Aesthetic prime condition. When comparing effects of right (RO) versus left onset (LO) in PD patients, a double-dissociation in religious belief-scores emerged based on prime condition. RO patients exhibited a significant increase in belief following the Aesthetic prime condition and LO patients significantly increased belief in the religious ritual prime condition. Results covaried with executive function measures. This suggests lateral cerebral specialization for ritual-based (left frontal) versus aesthetic-based (right frontal) religious cognition. Patient-centered individualized treatment plans should take religiosity into consideration as a complex disease-associated phenomenon connected to other clinical variables and health outcomes.
行为神经学家一直对特定脑损伤后宗教信仰的变化感兴趣。神经影像学和认知实验技术的进步已经加入到这些经典的病变相关性研究方法中，试图了解由于大脑损伤而导致的宗教信仰的变化。在本文中，我们评估了帕金森病（PD）患者的宗教认知处理动态。我们进行了一个四条件基于故事的启动程序，然后秘密探测宗教信仰的变化。基于故事的启动强调了死亡意识、宗教仪式和自然之美（审美）。在神经健全的对照组中，宗教信仰评分在审美启动条件后显著增加。当比较 PD 患者的右侧（RO）与左侧发作（LO）的影响时，基于启动条件出现了宗教信仰评分的双重分离。RO 患者在审美启动条件下的信仰显著增加，而 LO 患者在宗教仪式启动条件下的信仰显著增加。结果与执行功能测量相关。这表明，基于仪式（左额叶）和基于审美（右额叶）的宗教认知存在大脑侧化专业化。以患者为中心的个体化治疗计划应该将宗教信仰作为一种与其他临床变量和健康结果相关的复杂疾病相关现象加以考虑。
