The following article in the American Journal of Psychiatry on Seritonin and Spiritual Experiences is an extremely small (n=15) Swedish study, funded by the Swedish Research Council, limited to male subjects, which examined presynaptic serotonin receptors (which act as the breaks to serotonin release) and their relationship to self reported transcendent perceptions.
Te study found an inverse relationship between the binding potential of these receptors and individuals self perception of transcendence. The article also mentioned individuals differing quantities of serotonin receptor subtypes expression may effect peoples overall religious expression.
The biochemical effects of serotonin is well understood via the abuse of LSD, mescaline, psilocybin and other hallucinogenic drugs which also cause its users to have ‘spiritual experiences’.
