{"title":"Neurotheology: Practical Applications with Regard to Integrative Psychiatry.","authors":"Andrew B Newberg","doi":"10.1007/s11920-024-01584-3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Neurotheology is a nascent field of research and scholarship that seeks to understand the relationship between the brain and religious and spiritual phenomena. In the context of integrative psychiatry, neurotheology offers an intriguing intermediary between understanding how spirituality and religion affect brain function, and how this might be related to changes in mental health.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>A number of research studies over the years have observed that religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, and experiences can have a profound impact on a person's psyche. Many times, the effects are positive leading to lower depression, anxiety and distress. However, there are times that religion and spirituality can lead to negative beliefs and behaviors. Neurotheology seeks to understand both the positive and negative effects of religion and spirituality on mental health from a brain perspective. In addition, neurotheology offers important philosophical insights into the nature of the human mind and how we perceive the reality around us. This review evaluates these many topics as it considers how neurotheology can have practical applications with regard to integrative psychiatry.</p>","PeriodicalId":11057,"journal":{"name":"Current Psychiatry Reports","volume":" ","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":5.5000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-04","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Current Psychiatry Reports","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-024-01584-3","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"PSYCHIATRY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Purpose of review: Neurotheology is a nascent field of research and scholarship that seeks to understand the relationship between the brain and religious and spiritual phenomena. In the context of integrative psychiatry, neurotheology offers an intriguing intermediary between understanding how spirituality and religion affect brain function, and how this might be related to changes in mental health.
Recent findings: A number of research studies over the years have observed that religious and spiritual beliefs, practices, and experiences can have a profound impact on a person's psyche. Many times, the effects are positive leading to lower depression, anxiety and distress. However, there are times that religion and spirituality can lead to negative beliefs and behaviors. Neurotheology seeks to understand both the positive and negative effects of religion and spirituality on mental health from a brain perspective. In addition, neurotheology offers important philosophical insights into the nature of the human mind and how we perceive the reality around us. This review evaluates these many topics as it considers how neurotheology can have practical applications with regard to integrative psychiatry.
期刊介绍:
This journal aims to review the most important, recently published research in psychiatry. By providing clear, insightful, balanced contributions by international experts, the journal intends to serve all those involved in the care of those affected by psychiatric disorders.
We accomplish this aim by appointing international authorities to serve as Section Editors in key subject areas, such as anxiety, medicopsychiatric disorders, and schizophrenia and other related psychotic disorders. Section Editors, in turn, select topics for which leading experts contribute comprehensive review articles that emphasize new developments and recently published papers of major importance, highlighted by annotated reference lists. An international Editorial Board reviews the annual table of contents, suggests articles of special interest to their country/region, and ensures that topics are current and include emerging research. Commentaries from well-known figures in the field are also provided.