Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Nuns Donate Their Brains to Alzheimer's Research

Posted by samzenpus on from the bring-me-a-pious-brain dept.

Many Catholic religious orders are participating in a long range Alzheimer's disease study. Rush University's Religious Orders Study began in 1993 and tracks the participants' mental abilities through yearly memory testing. In addition to the annual tests, the study subjects agree to donate their brains. From the article: "The researchers sought members of religious orders, hoping they would be willing to donate and would not have children or spouses interfering with that arrangement at the last minute. More than 1,100 nuns, priests and brothers across the country representing a wide range of ethnic groups are taking part."

5 of 148 comments (clear)

  1. Nun brains always determine the same cure by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 0, Troll

    Rap his knuckles with a heavy wooden ruler. Don't think that's doing to do much for research.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
  2. Results will be useless by GungaDan · · Score: 0, Troll

    because of their sample selection. If religiosity is hard-wired in the brain http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/04/04/neurotheology/ then these researchers have selected a sample that will make their results applicable to... nuns and other religiodelusionals.

    --
    Eloi are stupid, throw morlocks at them!
    1. Re:Results will be useless by aristotle-dude · · Score: 0, Troll

      So what you are saying is that people like you hate religion so much because of brain damage you suffered at some point?

      --
      Jesus was a compassionate social conservative who called individuals to sin no more.
  3. Re:Mental Capabilities? by yyxx · · Score: 0, Troll

    Just one of these women does more real, genuine capital 'G' Good in a week than a land-fill of snarky Internet tough guys like you will do in your entire life.

    These women would do Good even if they weren't part of an ancient, evil, lying, murderous cult; more, actually, because they wouldn't be recruiting into that cult.

  4. Re:As someone who has worked with Religious Folk. by sjames · · Score: 1, Troll

    I'm going to have to call 'citation needed' on you there. Einstein was quite clearly a believer in God. Many others have some sort of spiritual belief outside the realm of science. It's not uncommon for a physicist to accept on faith that there is some great intelligence out there and that through physics they may better understand it. I've heard that from mathematicians as well.

    They may simply be far less likely to talk about it openly to avoid a bias against anyone in the academic world that professes a religious belief.

    Naturally they're not going to bring up religion or faith where it doesn't belong, such as in a scientific paper.

    There's a nice list of Nobel Laureates and other influential scientists who are known to have been religious. I'm sure you'll recognize a few.