The convergent neuroscience of Christian prayer and attachment relationships in the context of mental health: a systematic review.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2025 Egbert Haverkamp, Erik Olsman, Branislava Ćurčić-blake et al. 1 citation
Prayer, one of the most widespread religious practices, may work psychologically like human attachment bonds, which are strongly linked to mental health. This systematic review of 44 studies examined brain activity during Christian prayer and during activation of the attachment system in adults. Evidence showed convergence between prayer and neural areas involved in social cognition, specifically the default mode network and theory of mind regions. No significant differences emerged between prayer and attachment in brain regions linked to emotion regulation, but findings diverged for the aversion module, particularly in the insula. The shared cognitive and affective dimensions suggest prayer could be integrated into psychotherapy, though more research is needed.