Posted by Brainbeard on October 23, 2009, at 5:36:42
In reply to Re: question for brainbeard. » Brainbeard, posted by metafunj on October 22, 2009, at 21:32:14
> I can't explain the ear ringing. I did have ear ringing which was worse with wellbutrin, because there was a lower and a higher pitch ringing at the same time.
Sounds interesting. Perhaps with the right combination of meds you could get harmonic tinnitus. ;)
> Do you have any evidence that makes you draw a connection with dopamine and religiosity?There is evidence, yeah. I saw headlines in the paper some time ago suggesting that the biochemical explanation of religion had finally been found - and it was dopamine. That is a gross oversimplification of course. But that dopamine is involved is already certain. Just think of schizofrenia - schizofrenics have their dopaminergic circuits going frenzy, and so they ascribe meaning to the most trivial details of everyday life and think that the world around them is full of coded messages especially for them. This is not very far removed from the christian who lives in a world full of meaning because it is the world of his creator and saviour; the world of a god actively involved with his well-being and every now and them speaking to him through the seemingly trivial details of every day life.
One could argue though, that the one is pathological while the other can be mentally sound.> Trust me if you switched brains with me like you suggested before you wouldn't be reading Calvin. ;-)
That's funny. :) Never mind the brain swap then.
I read a story once of a woman who had her amalgam fillings removed and claimed that she had become much more spiritual afterwards.
Marihuana, which is also a dopamine booster of sorts, sometimes stimulated my feeling for religion enormously.
poster:Brainbeard
thread:919193
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/neuro/20090701/msgs/922087.html