Temporal Lobe Stimulation resulting in an ASC

Jeff LynnJeff Lynn

Ryan BrenesRyan Brenes

Jeff DelshadJeff Delshad

He remembered that during his epileptic fits, or rather immediately preceding them, he had always experienced a moment or two when his whole heart, and mind, and body seemed to wake up with vigor and light; when he became filled with joy and hope, and all his anxieties seemed to be swept away for ever; these moments were but presentiments, as it were, of the one final second…in which the fit came upon him. That second, of course, was inexpressible.

Dostoyevsky’s The Idiot

Temporal lobe includes primary auditory Temporal lobe includes primary auditory cortexcortex

Medial temporal lobe includes areas like Medial temporal lobe includes areas like hippocampus and amygdalahippocampus and amygdala

Persinger’s hypothesesPersinger’s hypotheses

Temporal lobe transient (TLT) releases memories that were forgotten

Memories are forgotten because temporal lobe shifts its function over time

Brain StimulationBrain Stimulation

Transcrainial magnetic stimulationTranscrainial magnetic stimulation– Motor cortex = different muscles contractMotor cortex = different muscles contract– Septum (near front of thalamus) = intense Septum (near front of thalamus) = intense

pleasurepleasure– Visual areas = color, motion, “seeing”Visual areas = color, motion, “seeing”

If someone blind from birth and visual areas intactIf someone blind from birth and visual areas intact

Temporal lobes stimulationTemporal lobes stimulation– Reports of experiencing GodReports of experiencing God

The God HelmetThe God Helmet

Experimental device that simulates temporal Experimental device that simulates temporal lobes creating “spiritual experience”lobes creating “spiritual experience”

80% of participants experience another 80% of participants experience another presence beside thempresence beside them

Studies are controversialStudies are controversial

Temporal Lobe EpilepsyTemporal Lobe Epilepsy

- Unlike focal seizures in motor cortexUnlike focal seizures in motor cortex- Muscle twitching Muscle twitching

- Temporal lobeTemporal lobe- Connection to limbic systemConnection to limbic system- Emotional symptomsEmotional symptoms- Spiritual experiencesSpiritual experiences

- Divine presence, significance in everything, insightDivine presence, significance in everything, insight

““Temporal Lobe Personality”Temporal Lobe Personality”

May alter patient’s personality (between May alter patient’s personality (between seizures)seizures)– Heightened emotions Heightened emotions – Cosmic significance in the trivialCosmic significance in the trivial– HumorlessHumorless– Self absorbed, ego-centric, talk about own Self absorbed, ego-centric, talk about own

feelingsfeelings– Hypergraphic – elaborate diaries w/ symbolsHypergraphic – elaborate diaries w/ symbols– Decreased libido, but still sexual rituals (flirting)Decreased libido, but still sexual rituals (flirting)

Possible Neural Mechanism for Possible Neural Mechanism for Temporal Lobe PersonalityTemporal Lobe Personality

KindlingKindling– Frequent massive nerve impulses from Frequent massive nerve impulses from

temporal lobe to limbic systemtemporal lobe to limbic system– May permanently strengthen / “facilitate” certain May permanently strengthen / “facilitate” certain

pathwayspathways– Permanently alters / enriches emotional lifePermanently alters / enriches emotional life– How to test this?How to test this?

Galvanic Skin Response TestGalvanic Skin Response Test

Two patients shown words & images ofTwo patients shown words & images of– Ordinary inanimate objectsOrdinary inanimate objects– Familiar faces (parents, etc)Familiar faces (parents, etc)– Unfamiliar facesUnfamiliar faces– Sexually explicit content (e.g. magazine pinups) Sexually explicit content (e.g. magazine pinups) – Extreme violence and horror (e.g. alligator Extreme violence and horror (e.g. alligator

eating person alive)eating person alive)– Religious content (“God”, etc)Religious content (“God”, etc)

Galvanic Skin Response TestGalvanic Skin Response Test

HypothesisHypothesis– Kindling strengthens connections from temporal Kindling strengthens connections from temporal

lobe to limbic systemlobe to limbic system– Expect high response to all categoriesExpect high response to all categories– Unlike what would be expected in normal Unlike what would be expected in normal

High response to violence, sex, familiar facesHigh response to violence, sex, familiar faces Low to no response to everything elseLow to no response to everything else

ResultsResults

Heightened response to religious words and Heightened response to religious words and imagesimages

Response to other categories, including sex Response to other categories, including sex and violence, decreasedand violence, decreased– Compared to what is seen in normal peopleCompared to what is seen in normal people

Thus, no general enhancement Thus, no general enhancement – Selective amplification to religious contentSelective amplification to religious content– Decrease in everything elseDecrease in everything else

ImplicationsImplications

There exists neural circuits involved in There exists neural circuits involved in religious experiencereligious experience– Become hyperactive in some left temporal Become hyperactive in some left temporal

epilepticsepileptics

Did circuits evolve specifically for religion?Did circuits evolve specifically for religion? ...Or do they generate emotions contributing ...Or do they generate emotions contributing

to such beliefs?to such beliefs? Much more research needed...Much more research needed...

Temporal lobe epilepsy as an ASCTemporal lobe epilepsy as an ASC

Can cause temporary and long-term Can cause temporary and long-term changes in personalitychanges in personality

Patients say they sometimes reach a state Patients say they sometimes reach a state of Nirvanaof Nirvana

Feelings after seizures are often compared Feelings after seizures are often compared to use of LSDto use of LSD

ControversyControversy

Belief in a God gene (Hamer)Belief in a God gene (Hamer) Genes to help cultivate unity within a Genes to help cultivate unity within a

population population Culture plays the more dominant roleCulture plays the more dominant role Some think these personality traits are not Some think these personality traits are not

more frequent in epileptic patientsmore frequent in epileptic patients Beliefs about God’s existenceBeliefs about God’s existence

ReferencesReferences

Persinger, Michael A. Ph.d. "Neuropsychological Bases of God Persinger, Michael A. Ph.d. "Neuropsychological Bases of God Beliefs" Praeger, 1987Beliefs" Praeger, 1987

Persinger, Michael “Perceptual and Motor Skills”, Persinger, Michael “Perceptual and Motor Skills”, 1983, 57, 1255-1262. 1983, 57, 1255-1262.

Ramachandran, V.S., Blakeslee, Sandra “Phantoms in the Ramachandran, V.S., Blakeslee, Sandra “Phantoms in the Brain”, 1998, 174-188.Brain”, 1998, 174-188.

Ramachandran, V.S., “God and the Temporal Lobes” Ramachandran, V.S., “God and the Temporal Lobes” Epilepsy.com: Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Epilepsy.com: Temporal Lobe Epilepsy http://www.shaktitechnology.com/http://www.shaktitechnology.com/ TimeTime: “Is God in Our Genes?”, Jeffery Kluger, Oct. 2004 : “Is God in Our Genes?”, Jeffery Kluger, Oct. 2004 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_genehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_gene