Towards a Neurodevelopmentally Informed Model of Spiritual Growth - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Towards a Neurodevelopmentally Informed Model of Spiritual Growth Michael Johnson-College of Nursing-Dept. of Psychiatry michael.johnson@hsc.utah.edu

How do we define spirituality? n Spirituality “a personal affirmation of the transcendent…..often referred to feelings or experiences of connectedness or relationship with sacred beings or forces…….” (Paloutzian & Park, 2005, pg 26). n “Spirituality is the sum total of the highest levels of developmental lines” ( (human capacities or forms of intelligence). (Wilber, 2000) n “Spiritual perfection means compassion and nothing less and nothing else” (Fox, 1999, pg 34)

Common Stage Models NONDUAL TRANSCENDENTAL/TRANSPERSONAL/ (Beyond words, or rational thought) MYSTICAL UNITY MODES (Self-object dichotomy gone, one with nature, connected to people) CONTEMPLATION WITH INTNERNAL REFLECTION-CALM Moral conduct, REALATIVE REALITY simplifying life, DUALITY slowing down, etc NORMAL EGO FUNCTIONING (Western Psychology)

Words of wisdom from Charles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Manson

"“After all.. ‘we are all one’. Killing someone therefore is just breaking off a piece of cooky.” (Zaehner,1974, p. 69). Zaehner, R. C. (1974). Our savage god . Collins.

Hence nearly all contemplative traditions have practices devoted to grounding the person into the “real world”

Complete Model NONDUAL No compassion TRANSCENDENTAL/TRANSPERSONAL (Beyond words, or rational thought) UNITY MODES (Self-object dichotomy gone, one with nature, connected to people) MINDFULNESS & CALM Preliminaries: Moral REALATIVE REALITY conduct, simplifying COMPASSION DUALITY life, slowing down, etc NORMAL EGO FUNCTIONING (Western Psychology)

Compassion http://www.motherteresa.org/

Mother Teresa ““I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper’s wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord Himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?” http://www.motherteresa.org/

Horton the Elephant n To find spirit or the One within each-dedicated to valuing others. “A person’s a person no matter how small” Horton hears a who / everyone's hero [Motion picture]. (2012). S.l.: 20th Century Fox . Geisel, T. S., & Richardson, M. (2004). Horton Hears a Who! . HarperCollins Children's Books.

Integration of Paths? n Kabat Zinn “Perhaps the most “spiritual” thing any of us can do is simply to look through our own eyes, see with eyes of wholeness, and act with integrity and kindness” n Dala Lama “..Buddhahood is achieved through the cultivation of both motivation and wisdom..” Kabat-Zinn, J. (2009). Wherever you go, there you are: Mindfulness meditation in everyday life . Hachette Books . Dalai Lama. (2003). Stages of meditation . Random House.

Tripartite conceptualization of spirituality: COGNITIVE-EMOTIONAL TRANSCENDENT (CULTURAL) POSITIVE PSYCHOLOGY (VIRTUES & STRENGTHS) Sacred Creativity Mystical Curiosity Beyond Words Learning Ultimate Concern Authenticity Nondual Reality Bravery Unknowable Morality Persistence God Altruism Prudence Selfless Compassion Brahman-Atman Modesty Emptiness Self-Regulation- Insight Gratitude Hope Humor Religiousness COMPASSION Love Empathy

Shifting gears…now to the unfolding brain….

Grand Summary of Neurodevelopment Neuronal Activity 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 16 20 14 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 18 12 13 16 17 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 CONCEPTION Decades Years Weeks DEATH BIRTH AGE

Major Neurodevelopmental Events n Neurogenesis: production and migration of neurons n Synaptogenesis: creation of axons (signal cables) and sprouting of dendrites (receivers for axons) to form synapses. n Pruning and Myelination: creation of memory and functional behavioral systems (neuropsychological systems)

3 Weeks Gestation http://www.babycenter.com/6_your-pregnancy-3-weeks_1049.bc

Neural Tube Formation Carlson, N. R. (1986). Physiology of behavior . Allyn & Bacon.

Grand Summary of Neurodevelopment NEUROGENESIS Neuronal Activity 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 16 20 14 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 18 12 13 16 17 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 CONCEPTION Decades Years Weeks DEATH AGE

Rudimentary Brain in Place by 6 weeks Gestation http://www.pregnology.com/faralong.php

Grand Summary of Neurodevelopment NEUROGENESIS SYNAPTOGENESIS 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 16 20 14 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 18 12 13 16 17 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 CONCEPTION Decades Years Weeks DEATH AGE

Picture trillions of these moving to connect http://www.neuroscience.cam.ac.uk/directory/profile.php?jf108, James Fawcett , 2016

As the layer of “neuronal seeds” sprouts “wires” the nerve cells get pushed outward

By the time of birth there are 87 billion neurons (27 billion in the neocortex alone): Half excitatory and half inhibitory: Reverberating back and forth over can you guess how many miles of axonal wiring? 23

Outer shell=NEOCORTEX n A densely packed CONTINUOUS layer of nerve cells or neurons on the very outer shell of the brain all acting as tiny batteries n 2-3 mm thick n 256 sq inches sheet 24

Cross Section of Neocortex: Stained Pyramidal Neurons DENDRITES YES/NO AXONS 25

Can you guess how many synapses we have around the time of birth?

Do you know how much this really is?

Grand Summary of Neurodevelopment NEUROGENESIS SYNAPTOGENESIS MYELINATION & PRUNING 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 16 20 14 18 22 24 26 28 30 32 36 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 14 15 18 12 13 16 17 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 CONCEPTION Decades Years Weeks DEATH AGE

Neurodevelopmental Equation n “Neurons that fire together wire together” n Neuronal “Fingerprints” of Conscious Functioning=Innate genetically controlled neuronal activity events (critical windows) +Innately determined talents or deficits (temperamental/ability traits) + Environment (local/global culture, nutrition, etc.) Hebb, D. O. (1949). The organization of behavior: A neuropsychological approach . John Wiley & Sons.

Complex pruning begins BOTH innately from genetic timing/propensities, and from environmental interaction leading to only certain connections (vast networks) being left in place

This can quantified through MRI images of the brain since by recording thickness of the neocortex-as you cut synapses and add white matter your neocortex gets thinner and you go from the magic of childhood to a specialized adults with an identity, job, role, etc. THINNER NEOCORTEX=SPECIALIZATION OF FUNCTION

Cortical Thinning from Age 5 to 20 Gogtay, N., Giedd, J. N., Lusk, L., Hayashi, K. M., Greenstein, D., Vaituzis, A. C., ... & Rapoport, J. L. (2004). Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood. Proceedings of the National Academy of sciences of the United States of America , 101 (21), 8174-8179.

Gogtay, N., Giedd, J. N., Lusk, L., Hayashi, K. M., Greenstein, D., Vaituzis, A. C., ... & Rapoport, J. L. (2004). Dynamic mapping of human cortical development during childhood through early adulthood. Proceedings of the National Academy of sciences of the United States of America , 101 (21), 8174-8179.

Abilities Can Also Be Predicted Sowell, E. R., Thompson, P. M., Leonard, C. M., Welcome, S. E., Kan, E., & Toga, A. W. (2004). Longitudinal mapping of cortical thickness and brain growth in normal children. The Journal of neuroscience , 24 (38), 8223-8231.

After age 20…… Sowell, E. R., Peterson, B. S., Thompson, P. M., Welcome, S. E., Henkenius, A. L., & Toga, A. W. (2003). Mapping cortical change across the human life span. Nature neuroscience , 6 (3), 309-315. Schurz, M., Radua, J., Aichhorn, M., Richlan, F., & Perner, J. (2014). Fractionating theory of mind: A meta-analysis of functional brain imaging studies. Neuroscience & BiobehavioralReviews , 42 , 9-34.

Past early middle age… 50-60 becomes leveling off point for innately driven major cortical restructuring Sowell, E. R., Peterson, B. S., Thompson, P. M., Welcome, S. E., Henkenius, A. L., & Toga, A. W. (2003). Mapping cortical change across the human life span. Nature neuroscience , 6 (3), 309-315.

Why is understanding brain development important? Important Point #1 n Mother nature creates potentialities of human functioning that requires environmental/cultural shaping for limited periods of time n WE MUST TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE HIGHLY SPECIALIZED WINDOWS OF NEUROPLASTICITY OR FUNCTION(S) WILL BE PERMANENTLY IMPAIRED