The researchers have suggested that damage caused to specific parts of the brain increased levels of spiritual thinking and feeling in patients, thereby adding a new insight into the link between religious behavior and the brain activity.

"Neuroimaging studies have linked activity within a large network in the brain that connects the frontal, parietal, and temporal cortexes with spiritual experiences, but information on the causative link between such a network and spirituality is lacking", lead study author Dr. Cosimo Urgesi, from the University of Udine in Italy, was quoted as saying.

The study lead by Dr. Urgesi's team involves scoring patients on a personality train known as self-transcendence (ST) before and after brain tumor surgery and combined analysis of those scores with advanced brain mapping.

The report reveals that the harm to the left and right posterior parietal regions of the brain specifically boosted self-transcendence.

"Thus, dysfunctional parietal neural activity may underpin altered spiritual and religious attitudes and behaviors", Urgesi added.

The study has been published by Cell Press in the February 11 issue of the journal Neuron.