Objective: To determine the impact of DBS on religiosity.

Background: Religiosity has been mapped to various brain networks^{1, 2}, and transcranial magnetic stimulation has transiently altered religious beliefs.³ Studies have shown a religiosity deficit in patients with PD.^4-6  Since PD is caused by dopamine depletion, it is ideal to explore the relationship between dopaminergic networks and religiosity, whereas ET has no dopamine deficit and therefore acts as a control.

Method: Patients with PD (N=39) and ET (N=13) were enrolled. Before DBS surgery (T0) and 3 months following DBS surgery (T1), patients completed the following surveys: Royal Free Interview (RFI) for Spiritual and Religious Beliefs, Brief Multidimensional Measure of Religiousness/Spirituality (BMMRS), Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), Starkstein Apathy Scale (SAS). T-test was used for statistical analysis. Semi-structured open-ended interview was analyzed thematically.

Results: Demographically, the cohorts included: PD: 34 right-handed, 17 left-side onset, 25 male, average age 65.6 years, average disease duration 9.8 years, and average United Parkinson’s disease rating scale score 35.4 and 23.1 on and off medications, respectively. ET: 11 right-handed, 7 bilateral onset, 9 male, average age 69 years, average disease duration 31.4 years, and average tremor rating scale score 44.1. At baseline, significantly more patients with ET identified as religious compared to those with PD (42.9% vs. 8.7%, p=0.037).

Following DBS, there was: (1) no significant difference in anxiety, stress, depression, or apathy scores; (2) significant increase in reliance of religious support in the PD cohort (T0=11.8, T1=7.2,  =0.005); (3) trend toward more negative religious coping mechanisms in the ET group (T0=2.57, T1=1.6, p=0.054); (4) no significant difference in perception of daily spiritual experiences or meaning in life. Thematic analysis revealed patients with PD reported a strengthening of their religion following DBS whereas patients with ET reported no difference.

Conclusion: Even in the absence of mood changes following DBS implantation, there was increased reliance on and strengthening of religious beliefs in the PD group that was not observed in the ET group, which suggests that neuromodulation’s influence on the dopaminergic pathways may impact religiosity.

References: 1. Ferguson MA, Schaper FLWV, Cohen A, et al. A Neural Circuit for Spirituality and Religiosity Derived From Patients With Brain Lesions. Biol Psychiatry 2021.
2. Kapogiannis D, Deshpande G, Krueger F, Thornburg MP, Grafman JH. Brain networks shaping religious belief. Brain Connect 2014;4(1):70-79.
3. Holbrook C, Izuma K, Deblieck C, Fessler DM, Iacoboni M. Neuromodulation of group prejudice and religious belief. Soc Cogn Affect Neurosci 2016;11(3):387-394.
4. Butler PM, McNamara P, Ghofrani J, Durso R. Disease-associated differences in religious cognition in patients with Parkinson’s disease. J Clin Exp Neuropsychol 2011;33(8):917-928.
5. Butler PM, McNamara P, Durso R. Side of onset in Parkinson’s disease and alterations in religiosity: novel behavioral phenotypes. Behav Neurol 2011;24(2):133-141.
6. McNamara P, Durso R, Brown A. Religiosity in patients with Parkinson’s disease. Neuropsychiatr Dis Treat 2006;2(3):341-348.

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MDS Abstracts - https://www.mdsabstracts.org/abstract/the-impact-on-religiosity-following-deep-brain-stimulation-dbs-in-patients-with-essential-tremor-et-and-parkinsons-disease-pd/