I heard a similar thing to the gene thing on a radio program. Some guy found that stimulating a certain part of the brain elicited a feeling akin to a comforting, unseen presence being in the room. He claimed it disproved heavenly beings, but I figured it just showed that God hardwired us to be ready for spiritual experiences.
And as long as I’m writing a really long post, I’ve also read that near-death experiences are culture specific. People here see a bright light. People in asian countries more often have a sensation of floating down a river full of lotus blossoms. Just an interesting tidbit.