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Neuropeptide Y and religious commitment in healthy young women
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 18 December 2018
Abstract
The present study explores the relationship between neuroactive hormones and religious commitment. We hypothesised that religious commitment is mediated by neuropeptide Y and oxytocin. These neurohormones have a well-established role in general well-being, anxiety regulation, stress-resilience, social affiliation and spirituality.
Sixty healthy women (median age 21) participated in the study and completed the Religious Commitment Inventory and other psychometric surveys. Blood was sampled from each participant and serum levels of neuropeptide Y were measured using radioimmunoassay. Oxytocin, stress and sex hormones were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Correlations were tested using non-parametric statistical methods.
We found a positive correlation between serum neuropeptide Y levels and religious commitment, but not between oxytocin and religious commitment.
The present study provides preliminary evidence that neuropeptide Y is a biological correlate of religious commitment.
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- © Scandinavian College of Neuropsychopharmacology 2018
Footnotes
Part of this work was presented at Neuroscience Day, Aarhus University, as an oral presentation, May 2017 and poster, May 2018.
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