Being born again linked to brain atrophy

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

I've always found adult conversion hard to understand. This may explain the phenomenum, at least in part.:

Being 'Born-Again' Linked to More Brain Atrophy

WEDNESDAY, May 25 (HealthDay News) -- Older adults who say they've had a life-changing religious experience are more likely to have a greater decrease in size of the hippocampus, the part of the brain critical to learning and memory, new research finds.

According to the study, people who said they were a "born-again" Protestant or Catholic, or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy") compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.

The study is published online in PLoS ONE.

As people age, a certain amount of brain atrophy is expected. Shrinkage of the hippocampus is also associated with depression, dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

In the study, researchers asked 268 people aged 58 to 84 about their religious affiliation, spiritual practices and life-changing religious experiences. Over the course of two to eight years, changes to the hippocampus were monitored using MRI scans.

Continues

http://www.philly.com/philly/health/topi...Study.html

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

This is the most hilarious study I've ever seen in my life.
I need to bookmark this and show it to every "born again" christian I ever meet to show them that their beliefs are SO retarded that it actually gives them physical damage to their own brain.

[kılıç_mehmet]

I thought like being "born again" is something like actually changing your religious affiliation.

[Anomalocaris]

This is the most hilarious study I've ever seen in my life.
I need to bookmark this and show it to every "born again" christian I ever meet to show them that their beliefs are SO retarded that it actually gives them physical damage to their own brain.

Any idiot who repudiates his real birth to be born again must have been brain damage right out of the womb.

[reverendjeremiah]

So atheist brains shrunk as well?

---

people who said they were a "born-again" Protestant or Catholic, or conversely, those who had no religious affiliation, had more hippocampal shrinkage (or "atrophy")

[5thHorseman]

So just about everyone has changed their mind, ever........... ffs.

[Minimalist]

[TheDarkestOfAngels]

After re-reading the link, it seems you're damned if you do and damned if you don't.
I guess if you want a big and healthy hippocamus, you should never change your mind about anything ever.

[houseofcantor]

This is the most hilarious study I've ever seen in my life.
I need to bookmark this and show it to every "born again" christian I ever meet to show them that their beliefs are SO retarded that it actually gives them physical damage to their own brain.

Any idiot who repudiates his real birth to be born again must have been brain damage right out of the womb.

Real birth? That was the singularity. I began with my Gwynnies. Epiphany is not for everyone.

[Ziploc Surprise]

What about the lack of stress related to not having to deal with cognitive dissonance? It's very relaxing not having to be the apologist anymore. Neither do I have to cringe when someone in my religion does something stupid. When Rick Perry opens his mouth I can snort in laughter, when someone thinks Ray Comfort is a genius I can laugh on the inside and try hard not to crack a smile, when my (former) Christian neighbor acts like a psycho, I shrug and walk away.

I suppose I now have to worry about problems due to being a nonbeliever in the bible belt but that's nothing compared to thevothet extreme.

Of course the article is probably bullshit, so all this speculation is mindedness, I just haven't got the time to verify facts right now.