People who have had near-death experiences attest to this: brain activity can continue after the heart has stopped.
- The authors of this study come from different disciplines: neurosciences, psychiatry, psychology and even social and human sciences.
- They estimate that hundreds of millions of people on the planet have had near-death experiences.
There is now a scientific consensus around near-death experiences. A large team of researchers publishes a set of declarations and recommendations on these events, on the site of The New York Academy of Sciences. These scientists have examined all the studies published on the subject. This consensus statement is the first to undergo peer review, a scientific verification process.
Close experiences with death
“The scientific advances of the XXand and XXIand centuries have brought about a major evolution in the understanding of death”, specify the authors in the preamble. Improved knowledge of resuscitation has brought millions of people back to life after their hearts have stopped. “These survivors described a unique set of death-related memories that seem universal.”, they continue. These situations are referred to as near-death experiences. In these works, entitled “Guidelines and Standards for the Study of Death and Near-Death Experiences”the researchers highlighted the different points in common between these experiences told by the patients.
What are the authors’ conclusions?
Scientists consider near-death experiences to be characterized by closeness to death, and to involve a set of mental memories with universal themes. “Near-death experiences are not hallucinations, delusions, or experiences induced by psychedelic drugs.”, they point out. They would be marked by a precise unfolding with first of all a feeling of separation from the body with an acute awareness and recognition of death. The people concerned perceive this experience as a journey, towards a destination. All tell of having carried out a kind of examination of their lives, with a critical analysis of all actions, intentions and thoughts towards others. Finally, they feel in a place that looks like a “at the house of self“and each of these experiences ends with a return to life. According to the authors, these experiences are generally associated with transformation and psychological development with positive long-term consequences.
Scientifically proven data
The authors of this meta-analysis also confirm the scientific evidence of this brain activity. “Studies showing the emergence of gamma activity and electrical spikes, usually a sign of heightened state of consciousness on electroencephalography (EEG), in relation to death, further support the claims of millions of people who have said to have felt lucidity and heightened awareness in relation to death”, they conclude. They point out that a heart attack is not a heart attack, but it represents the final stage of an illness or an accident that leads to the death of a person. “The advent of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has shown us that death is not an absolute state, but rather a process that could potentially be reversed in some people even after it has begun.”, underlines Sam Parnia, the main author of this study. Moreover, brain cells do not die instantly after heart failure, but several hours later. This could explain these near death experiences. The authors conclude that while no study has been able to absolutely prove the reality or significance of these experiences, no other has been able to deny them.
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