Study suggests 'born-again' believers have smaller brains, page 1

This is one that will get some of us mad, could this be true or some kind of new propoganda
to get to some..

The study, which examined the hippocampus region of the brain, found that Protestants who did not have a "born again" experience had significantly more gray matter than either those who reported a life-changing religious experience, Catholics, or unaffiliated older adults.

The hippocampus is an area buried deep in the brain that helps regulate emotion and memory. Atrophy or shrinkage in this region of the brain has long been linked to mental health problems such as depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

So why would born-again Protestants, Catholics and those with no religious affiliation have a smaller hippocampus?

Researchers speculate it may have something to do with the stress of belonging to a minority group. Chronic stress floods the brain with hormones that, over time, may damage the hippocampus.

So this is new for me what do you guys think
Sorry forgot the linkwww.usatoday.com...

reply to post by mkkkay

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Maybe born agains are generating god vibes and it physically changing them. sorta how meditation can have physical effects since they both are somewhat positive mindstates to be in meditating or praying and believing.

People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't. Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that experienced meditators boasted increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input.
www.physorg.com...

reply to post by mkkkay

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oh boy...
and so it begins.

ps. YOU LIE!

reply to post by Ophiuchus 13

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Yeah but the nice thing about the people I know who meditate is they never tell me I'm going to hell if I fail to accept their path of meditation.

reply to post by mkkkay

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There was a similar thread like this a few days back.(edit., it was actually the same article)
Talked about religion and brian size I believe.

What's the use of this study?
I'm serious.

OnlyLove

Originally posted by ELahrairah
reply to post by Ophiuchus 13

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Yeah but the nice thing about the people I know who meditate is they never tell me I'm going to hell if I fail to accept their path of meditation.

As they shouldnt none should tell you, but for sure can warn you of hellish actions. I wish not start the religious back and forths I was just providing that their positive mindstates are effecting their brains and other parts.

reply to post by boondock-saint

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Yeah, so a scientific study that's published in a peer-reviewed journal (which means you can actually look at it yourself) is horse manure...because you say so?

I'm sorry, but what was done poorly with the study? What are your legitimate objections to how the study was performed?

The Hippocampus

It belongs to the limbic system and plays important roles in the consolidation of information from short-term memory to long-term memory and spatial navigation.

And people are surprised these nitwits can't grasp the concept of evolution. No wonder the mental rejects flock to these types of religions like the Salmon of Capistrano.

reply to post by Golithion
reply to post by OnlyLove

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What's the point of such a study? Are you serious? Aside from the fact that understanding the universe and that which is contained within it should be its own benefit and point, it tells us about the human brain. The more we learn about the human brain, the better.

Such studies could help our understanding of brain development. Now that there is this study there will be further study that might examine people prior to and after such experiences to see if they can examine the cause of brain shrinkage in these cases and if it impairs people in any way.

You have a problem with science? Go toss out your computers.

reply to post by mkkkay

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So......is their brain size smaller possible due to confined viewpoints, or do they believe in religion due to a mental deficiency?



Sorry....had to.

reply to post by madnessinmysoul

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Defensive much? So how much salt do you intake in a day? How much coffee should I drink in a day? How much caffeine is bad for you oh wait is it good for you? How about chocolate? How about sugar is that bad for you oh wait it's good for you in certain amounts? Why do people eat? Give me a break science is not based on studies like this, you want to find out why brain's shrink during Alzheimer and why there are seizures go for it. You tell me how they determined that a living human being's brain shrunk because of a belief?

Edit to add this little tid bit from the article itself, There may be more factors responsible for the correlation," she said of the study published on March 30 in "PLoS One," a peer-reviewed, open-access, online publication."
That alone say's it all.

reply to post by mkkkay

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Anything can be studied and any conclusion can be written. I read recently that atheists have higher IQ's than people who believe in Religion. I can almost believe that when actually looking into most beliefs. The point is there is no point to so called studies other than being propaganda tools.

Originally posted by Ophiuchus 13
reply to post by mkkkay

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Maybe born agains are generating god vibes and it physically changing them. sorta how meditation can have physical effects since they both are somewhat positive mindstates to be in meditating or praying and believing.

People who meditate grow bigger brains than those who don't. Researchers at Harvard, Yale, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology have found the first evidence that meditation can alter the physical structure of our brains. Brain scans they conducted reveal that experienced meditators boasted increased thickness in parts of the brain that deal with attention and processing sensory input.
www.physorg.com...

edit on 5/25/11 by Ophiuchus 13 because: (no reason given)

edit on 5/25/11 by Ophiuchus 13 because: (no reason given)

I would think that meditation would reinforce the brain, just like any other muscle we have to use it or loose it.
So why is religion different than meditation, religious people do have to use their imagination more then the ones
who just can't imagine a god.. any kind of exercise for the brain be it so futile should make it better.

reply to post by Mactire

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Please tell me where/how to get that saddam flash.

My question for these scientists, irrelevant of their findings is, don't we have better things to be studying other then differences in human beings? I dunno maybe say finding a cure for brain tumors?

I'm probably just crazy

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