New Movement in Neuroscience: A Purpose-Driven Life

Purpose in Life (PIL) is a research area that focuses on the interactions between mind and body and the powerful ways in which emotional, mental, social, and spiritual factors can directly affect health. It links the belief that your life has meaning and purpose to a robust and persistently improved physiological health outcome—particularly as a way to treat dementia, spinal cord injuries, stroke, and immunological and cardiovascular issues that include but extend beyond the brain. While it has inspired significant research, the authors contend that PIL is underappreciated, given its potential importance and interest to both the clinical and lay communities.