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Scientists: Human religiosity leads to rapid brain atrophy
Last reviewed: 30.06.2025
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Everyone's brain shrinks over time, but those whose lives have been changed by religion have a more severe case of hippocampal shrinkage. Hippocampal atrophy also occurs in association with depression and Alzheimer's disease.
Researchers from Duke University (USA) surveyed 268 people aged 58–84 about their religious affiliation, spiritual practices and religious experience. Changes in their hippocampus were then tracked using MRI over two to eight years.
Regardless of religious affiliation, people who do not consider themselves born again experience less hippocampal atrophy as they age compared to true Protestant, Catholic, or home-based converts. Age, education, social support from friends and family, depression, and brain size all made no difference to the study's results. Nor did the type of religious practice matter, whether it was prayer, meditation, or Bible study.
"A number of studies have shown that for many religious people, religion is a path to better health later in life, but this does not seem to be true for everyone," said study co-author David Hayward.
The researchers believe that stress plays a role in the atrophy of the hippocampus in religious people. "Our interpretation is that when you feel that your beliefs and values are at odds with the interests of society as a whole, you are stressed in one way or another, and this affects the brain," says another co-author, Amy Owen.
"Other studies have shown that spiritual experiences become comforting or stressful depending on whether they fit into the beliefs of those around them," Mr Hayward adds. "This is particularly true for older people."
The researchers caution, however, that they do not fully understand the mechanics of how stress influences brain atrophy. But even if the interpretation is wrong, this is the first study of its kind to attempt to link the volume of a specific brain region to religion.
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