In many faiths, a specific place is reserved for the ritual of reaching out to God, be it a church, synagogue, mosque or some other venue. Researchers recently examined whether certain brain locations are specially activated when a religious believer communes with his or her deity.

About a decade ago scientists advanced the hypothesis that neural activity during religious rapture occurs in a "God module" in the temporal lobes. The theory was inspired by the study of epilepsy patients in whom temporal lobe seizures induced mystical feelings. Results from a study by Mario Beauregard and Vincent Paquette of the University of Montreal, however, suggest that the neural activity that accompanies spiritual enlightenment is usually more complex.

This article was originally published with the title God (Neurons) May Be Everywhere.

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