[Neurotheology: neurobiological models of religious experience].
Der Nervenarzt March 1, 2013 T Passie, J Warncke, T Peschel et al. 3 citations
Religions are evolutionary selected social and cultural phenomena that today form the basis of major cultural belief and normative systems. Religious experiences, especially mystical experiences, are widespread across populations and are the most consistent and transculturally uniform type. This review examines empirical results and hypothetical approaches to explaining mystical religious experiences neurobiologically. Some hypotheses have logical evidence, some are supported by neurobiological studies, but all have pitfalls and are at best partially consistent. A key insight is that multiple different neurophysiological conditions may produce the same core mystical experiences.