Brain Behav February 2019 PMID 30648349

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression.

Xuzhou Li, Myrna Weissman, Ardesheer Talati, Connie Svob, Priya Wickramaratne, Jonathan Posner, Dongrong Xu

Mentions

58
Peak: 35 in Feb 2019
across 8 sources since Jan 2019

Extended reach

236,902
potential audience

Total likes

54

Video views

1,395

Mentions per month

Jan 2019 – Dec 2025

Where it's discussed

  • X / Twitter46 posts
  • YouTube3 videos
  • TikTok2 posts
  • Reddit2 posts
  • Blogs2 articles
  • Facebook1 posts
  • Instagram1 posts
  • News1 articles

AI synopsis

What people are saying

The overall tone reflects strong agreement and high interest, with many posts discussing the neuroimaging findings, such as in comments about brain microstructure changes and resilience, and emphasizing the importance of religious and spiritual beliefs in mental health, showing insightful engagement and recognition of the study’s potential impact.

AgreementModerate agreement

Most discussions support the idea that religion or spirituality has a protective effect against depression and highlight positive correlations, showing general agreement with the study’s findings.

InterestHigh interest

Posts demonstrate high interest, referencing brain imaging, implications for mental health, and scientific studies, indicating strong curiosity about the research.

EngagementHigh engagement

Discussions include specific mentions of brain microstructure, resilience, and neuroimaging methods, reflecting deep engagement and understanding of the scientific content.

ImpactHigh impact

Several comments emphasize the significance of these findings for mental health and the potential to influence treatment approaches, indicating high perceived impact.

Abstract in brief

  • The study explores how religious and spiritual beliefs may influence brain microstructure in people at high risk for depression, showing that those with strong RS beliefs tend to have brain features closer to healthy individuals.
  • Brain differences linked to depression risk include thinner cortices and altered connectivity, but strong RS beliefs seem to have a protective effect by normalizing these features.
  • Using diffusion tensor imaging, the research found that high-risk individuals with lower importance on RS showed decreased brain tissue integrity in specific regions, indicating that spirituality might help mitigate some microstructural brain changes related to depression risk.]

Top posts

Most liked on X and Bluesky
Tay
@BioTay · X

Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacionado con cambios en la materia blanca en varias regiones cerebrales (paper) https://t.co/IOkD9UxQtA (blog, abajo) https://t.co/LDerxIWGZ3

Feb 4, 2019 · 24 likes · 18 shares · 20,590 followers View post →
Columbia Epidemiology
@CUEpidemiology · X

Brain changes related to #religion & #spirituality could confer #resilience to #depression- @cuepidemiology and @ColumbiaPsych Professor Myrna Weissman & colleagues in new study published in @BrainBehavior available at https://t.co/nZeI1r9cZc via @PsyPost https://t.co/K7wOX3glVr

Feb 4, 2019 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 9,682 followers View post →
Jun Kakuta
@Junkichiro_O · X

うつ病のリスクが高い家族における宗教と精神性に関連する研究。 A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression - Li - - Brain and Behavior - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/uGxKihBxc2

Feb 18, 2019 · 3 likes · 2 shares · 279 followers View post →
Rik Peels
@RikPeels · X

Another study showing how beneficial religion is for people's health, this time regarding risks of depression. Not a particularly good reason to become religious, but further evidence that busts the myth saying that religion is bad for people: https://t.co/QqucYvZIiI

Apr 23, 2019 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 3,300 followers View post →
Psychological Apologetics
@PsychApologetix · X

The original article can be found here. There's just so much psych research that supports Christianity, either directly, or indirectly like this one. https://t.co/dGlvbGnWNs https://t.co/P8r4GqwpFJ

Feb 4, 2019 · 2 likes · 375 followers View post →
MedicalFeed
@MedicalFeed · X

Religious and Spiritual beliefs lower the risk of Depression https://t.co/zSrlQwXj8P via @YouTube

Feb 4, 2019 · 1 like · 8,118 followers View post →

All mentions

Sevenrays
@Sevenrays · X

@qqoqhan @nesliyildiz2011 Dinci kafası :) Depresyon riski yüksek ailelerde din ve maneviyatla ilgili beyin mikro yapısal değişikliklerinin difüzyon tensor görüntüleme çalışması. https://t.co/7STLZlP1bg https://t.co/O7wgUv58O7

Jul 13, 2023 · 12,104 followers View post →
Fourthbranch
@The4ourthBranch · X

@american_mirror @drewgs1987 @AriDrennen You would have no evolutionary follow up questions about that? -https://t.co/ZksaMZ2ccF -https://t.co/xnxtHOBcOQ -https://t.co/VhSOXArL9K

May 31, 2023 · 2,567 followers View post →
skeptic psychologist
@Idontwishtosee · X

@recellilahmacun @sinemsal Valla senin adına sevindim bilimsel olarak da daha iyi oluyon; böyle depresyona karşı bağışıklığın da artıyo, ben de tanrıya inandığımda daha az depresyona falan giriyodum: https://t.co/SlBD7B3zcC

Feb 9, 2020 · 4 followers View post →
Doc
@DocRobandino820 · X

@Lane_ Funny irony aside. It's actually quite sad. Depression and anxiety are also climbing amongst my generation with multiple studies showing belief in God conferring a protective effect. https://t.co/Lo6rl38zBZ

Dec 14, 2019 · 365 followers View post →
Mohamed
@Qitov_ · X

@aynotui @ahmadkeva Nope https://t.co/wdRbACGB5z https://t.co/dCcvXZHnRF

Dec 5, 2019 · 378 followers View post →
عمّار
@ammarmhmd · X

@qusaikbataineh @asalaq22 الطب الغربي طب مادي، وخطأ البناء عليه أنه نهاية الحقيقة. هذه دراسة حديثة تظهر أنه التدين يقلل فعلاً من خطر الإصابة بالاكتئاب https://t.co/5Eh6160NcX

Nov 17, 2019 · 399 followers View post →
Sera
@Sera_Elhassi · X

“ Individuals at high familial risk for depression typically share a neural signature that is similar to the one that can be found in those at low familial risk, as long as they take [religion or spirituality]beliefs as highly important.” https://t.co/go3zca6uNR

Sep 17, 2019 · 1,713 followers View post →
IMA
@courage_builder · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression. https://t.co/dhLpE1Y7k4

Aug 14, 2019 · 1,844 followers View post →
Bijbel&Schepping
@Bijbelschepping · X

RT @RikPeels: Another study showing how beneficial religion is for people's health, this time regarding risks of depression. Not a particul…

Apr 23, 2019 · 2 shares · 574 followers View post →
Reinier Sonneveld
@R_Sonneveld · X

RT @RikPeels: Another study showing how beneficial religion is for people's health, this time regarding risks of depression. Not a particul…

Apr 23, 2019 · 2 shares · 2,651 followers View post →
Rik Peels
@RikPeels · X

Another study showing how beneficial religion is for people's health, this time regarding risks of depression. Not a particularly good reason to become religious, but further evidence that busts the myth saying that religion is bad for people: https://t.co/QqucYvZIiI

Apr 23, 2019 · 2 likes · 2 shares · 3,300 followers View post →
Hefin Jones
@THJ1961 · X

Wel! Am erthygl ddiddorol. Angen darllen hon yn fanylach. A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression - Li - 2019 - Brain and Behavior - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/OI7R7uWhLt

Mar 30, 2019 · 2,676 followers View post →
上山達典
@t_ueyama · X

RT @Junkichiro_O: うつ病のリスクが高い家族における宗教と精神性に関連する研究。 A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and…

Feb 19, 2019 · 2 shares · 262 followers View post →
Jun Kakuta
@Junkichiro_O · X

うつ病のリスクが高い家族における宗教と精神性に関連する研究。 A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression - Li - - Brain and Behavior - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/uGxKihBxc2

Feb 18, 2019 · 3 likes · 2 shares · 279 followers View post →
Método Observacional
@MOuniovi · X

#Religious and Spiritual beliefs lower the #risk of #Depression ♻️ https://t.co/qfCtYTGjvE

Feb 11, 2019 · 93 followers View post →
Destiny
@Popsfield · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression - Li - - Brain and Behavior - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/tvfQlA4ONx

Feb 10, 2019 · 177 followers View post →
Crystal ✝️
@WingsofCrystal · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression - Li - - Brain and Behavior - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/MvkMwS3X46

Feb 10, 2019 · 7,366 followers View post →
Miguel Angel Ruiz
@Mars_777 · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 9, 2019 · 18 shares · 2,609 followers View post →
Oscarelo A.
@Oscarelo2x · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 8, 2019 · 18 shares · 3,228 followers View post →
MC
@ThulsaGloom · X

Another one for the pile. https://t.co/UAdmrjnN1S https://t.co/dNfGROZSun

Feb 7, 2019 · 434 followers View post →
icowrich
@icowrich · X

@godless_mom @DazzyZeff82 According to brain scans, they do on Earth: https://t.co/Lq2FlwlfWo

Feb 6, 2019 · 1,368 followers View post →
Andi Bernar
@andi_bernar · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 5, 2019 · 18 shares · 198 followers View post →
Belén
@Belen94766120 · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 5, 2019 · 18 shares · 550 followers View post →
ENTROPÓLOGO
@antropocomplejo · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 5, 2019 · 18 shares · 556 followers View post →
AurelG
@AurelG7 · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of #brain #microstructural #changes related to #religion and #spirituality in families at high risk for #depression | #neuroscience https://t.co/5SmIu9Xs5w

Feb 5, 2019 · 30 followers View post →
_Benengeli
@_Benengeli · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 1,245 followers View post →
Psychological Apologetics
@PsychApologetix · X

The original article can be found here. There's just so much psych research that supports Christianity, either directly, or indirectly like this one. https://t.co/dGlvbGnWNs https://t.co/P8r4GqwpFJ

Feb 4, 2019 · 2 likes · 375 followers View post →
erpayo BigBalls
@erpayo · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 1,150 followers View post →
G O
@germanome · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 597 followers View post →
Carlos
@lonar2 · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 1,814 followers View post →
Pablo Malo
@pitiklinov · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 76,257 followers View post →
Norest Hama
@NorestHama · X

RT @cuepidemiology: Brain changes related to #religion & #spirituality could confer #resilience to #depression- @cuepidemiology and @Columb…

Feb 4, 2019 · 2 shares · 159 followers View post →
Pub Health Monitor
@monitor_PH · X

RT @cuepidemiology: Brain changes related to #religion & #spirituality could confer #resilience to #depression- @cuepidemiology and @Columb…

Feb 4, 2019 · 2 shares · 1,816 followers View post →
Columbia Epidemiology
@CUEpidemiology · X

Brain changes related to #religion & #spirituality could confer #resilience to #depression- @cuepidemiology and @ColumbiaPsych Professor Myrna Weissman & colleagues in new study published in @BrainBehavior available at https://t.co/nZeI1r9cZc via @PsyPost https://t.co/K7wOX3glVr

Feb 4, 2019 · 4 likes · 2 shares · 9,682 followers View post →
Zentum
@ZENTUM · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 172 followers View post →
INEPTES AL JUTJAT I ELECCIONS
@Apitxat · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 556 followers View post →
MedicalFeed
@MedicalFeed · X

Religious and Spiritual beliefs lower the risk of Depression https://t.co/zSrlQwXj8P via @YouTube

Feb 4, 2019 · 1 like · 8,118 followers View post →
Angelica Hernandez
@langelher · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 82 followers View post →
sonsonoax
@Sonsonoa · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 1,862 followers View post →
Francis Villatoro
@emulenews · X

RT @BioTay: Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacion…

Feb 4, 2019 · 18 shares · 45,049 followers View post →
Tay
@BioTay · X

Las personas con creencias religiosas y/o espirituales tienen mayor resiliencia ante la depresión, y esto parece estar relacionado con cambios en la materia blanca en varias regiones cerebrales (paper) https://t.co/IOkD9UxQtA (blog, abajo) https://t.co/LDerxIWGZ3

Feb 4, 2019 · 24 likes · 18 shares · 20,590 followers View post →
Wendy Suares
@wsuares · X

@breckbear Here ya go: https://t.co/dQgJT6YluL previous research done at Columbia University also supports this, as cited in my initial link.

Feb 4, 2019 · 15,293 followers View post →
Idysürtagem
@idysurtagem · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression - Li - - Brain and Behavior - Wiley Online Library https://t.co/SWTxKI3kXY

Feb 4, 2019 · 574 followers View post →
Sergii Tukaiev
@byzant69 · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression https://t.co/JXEIiEFyqn

Feb 3, 2019 · 170 followers View post →
IMA
@courage_builder · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression. https://t.co/39CgqKdzGz

Jan 17, 2019 · 1,844 followers View post →
Mark
@sneakerwisdom · X

A diffusion tensor imaging study of brain microstructural changes related to religion and spirituality in families at high risk for depression. https://t.co/BcRWQnbW5e

Jan 17, 2019 · 1,680 followers View post →
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