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JonLP24

(29,322 posts)
Mon Apr 30, 2012, 04:11 PM Apr 2012

Being 'Born-Again' Linked to More Brain Atrophy: Study [View all]

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&quot compared to people who identified themselves as Protestants, but not born-again.

<<snip>

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.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/health/132456883.html#ixzz1tYYtWTq2
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Being born again makes people incredibly stupid. anti-alec Apr 2012 #1
Which is why the values voters scare the crap out of me. Initech Apr 2012 #3
Conversely Cirque du So-What Apr 2012 #4
Profound point in that, anti-alec! There is this one personality/cognitive type that IS getting patrice Apr 2012 #6
When ever anyone asks me if I'm "born again" Sedona Apr 2012 #2
I wonder if that could explain the "Crazy Jesus-Eyes." n/t Ian David Apr 2012 #5
i kind of thought oldhippydude Apr 2012 #14
also makes you more likely to send money to Pat Robertson Enrique Apr 2012 #7
It serves our purpose poorly madamesilverspurs Apr 2012 #8
Exactly. Thank you for saying this. Zalatix Apr 2012 #11
What about those of us who want to push humanity to a greater knowledge? snooper2 Apr 2012 #12
Truth trumps public relations cthulu2016 Apr 2012 #18
I'm sure that was also the rationale behind "The Bell Curve" Zalatix May 2012 #22
Science serves our purposes. Logic and facts serve our purposes. LeftyMom Apr 2012 #21
did they also subdivide by politics? I'm asking since there were many left-leaners who were born MisterP Apr 2012 #9
also... handmade34 Apr 2012 #10
Are people really this stupid? whistler162 Apr 2012 #13
I had a stroke last night and a grand mal seizure this morning. longship Apr 2012 #15
Seems plausible to me. BadgerKid Apr 2012 #16
Polite way of saying that "Born Again" equals brain damaged? toddwv Apr 2012 #17
No, a straightforward way to say that cthulu2016 Apr 2012 #19
A different interpretation of these results: cthulu2016 Apr 2012 #20
Just saying: Not all christian churches define born again in the same way. That experience stutt is jwirr May 2012 #23
I'd love to see Rick Santorum's CAT scan meow2u3 May 2012 #24
Read the ENTIRE article UnconventionalWisdom May 2012 #25
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