Exploring the Phenomena of Close-to-Death Encounters: Rational Scientific Insights on the Perception of Demise
In the '90s, my undergraduate psychology class was graced by the presence of the esteemed Dr Peter Fenwick. Tall, refined, and doling out neuroanatomical terminology like it was candy, he conveyed an air of old-world authority. He spoke about near-death experiences (NDEs), sharing tales of people who claimed they could see themselves from above and witness events beyond their physical sight while near death.
Fast forward to today, and it turns out these experiences might be quite common. One recent survey showed that 15% of patients in intensive care have experienced a NDE. However, NDEs aren't a modern phenomenon—scholar Dr Gregory Shushan has unearthed accounts from all over history and across various cultures.
One of the most famous pieces of artwork depicting a NDE is Hieronymus Bosch's 16th-century painting "Ascent of the Blessed." These experiences really gained prominence in the 19th century, thanks to the Swiss geologist Prof Albert von St Gallen Heim, who compiled stories from climbers who barely survived.
US psychologist Dr Raymond Moody then brought NDEs to the masses in his 1975 book "Life After Life." At first, Dr Fenwick dismissed it as "psychobabble," but encounters with NDE-ers eventually changed his opinion. Now, there are countless documented cases of NDEs, leaving scientists and philosophers mystified.
Should we believe these accounts? My take is that skepticism tinged with wonder is in order. Leanda Pringle from Connecticut had a NDE a little over 15 years ago due to a double kidney infection. As she lay in a state between life and death, she felt a sense of interconnectedness with the universe and spoke with a creator—an experience she's still processing to this day.
Tommy McDowell, a retired army veteran from Texas, underwent a NDE after seven days on a ventilator. He described feeling a profound sense of goodness, peace, and comfort that transformed him. He also recalled seeing a cloud of crystallized light that invited him closer, eradicating his past trauma and regret.
The Final Breaths of Life
Researchers have gathered countless testimonies from people who claimed to have had a NDE. These accounts often involve out-of-body experiences, seeing a bright light, entering a tunnel, undergoing a life review, and feeling a deep sense of peace and release.
For many neuroscientists, NDEs might reveal less about the divine and more about the brain's intricate workings. In 2024, researchers at the University of Michigan made a significant discovery. They found that two dying patients showed a surge of brain activity in the gamma frequency range, usually associated with consciousness, near their temporal-parietal lobes and prefrontal cortex.
This study strongly suggests that the dying brain can be activated and might account for the vivid experiences associated with NDEs. Researchers are eager to explore the connection between the dying brain and other research on NDEs, but caution is advised due to the limited sample size and the fact that none of these patients survived to describe their experiences.
A Chemical Rush
Even animals could provide insights into NDEs. Studies on rats suggest a massive release of neurotransmitters occurs in the dying brain, leading to intense subjective experiences. These compounds play key roles in emotions and dream-like states, which might contribute to the experiences reported by NDE-ers.
Research using psychedelics also offers clues. These substances interact with the brain's receptors for neurotransmitters, similar to those released in the dying brain. Such substances might account for some elements of NDEs.
Evidence of Something... More
While scientists continue to debate the neurobiological explanations of NDEs, some researchers, such as Dr Fenwick and University of North Texas's Professor Emerita Janice Holden, remain convinced that there's more to it than just brain chemistry. They view NDEs as evidence of the human soul existing beyond the brain.
Some NDE experiences are considered veridical, where individuals report seeing things they couldn't have known about under normal circumstances. These experiences challenge current scientific theories and remain unexplained.
Despite the lack of consensus, one thing's certain—NDEs leave a profound impact on those who experience them. They often return with intense and vivid memories, feel fundamentally changed, and have a profoundly altered attitude toward death. Research is ongoing to better understand the psychological consequences of NDEs, with some exploring the potential of virtual reality to replicate these experiences and study their effects. Regardless of the scientific debate, one thing's indisputable: NDEs have an emotional power that transforms the lives of those who experience them.
- The accounts gathered by researchers, often involving out-of-body experiences and a sense of peace, suggest that NDEs might be more about the brain's intricate workings rather than the divine.
- In 2024, a study made by researchers at the University of Michigan revealed a surge of brain activity in the gamma frequency range near the temporal-parietal lobes and prefrontal cortex of dying patients, which might account for the vivid experiences associated with NDEs.
- Studies on rats have shown a massive release of neurotransmitters in the dying brain, leading to intense subjective experiences that might contribute to the experiences reported by NDE-ers.
- Some researchers, like Dr Fenwick and Professor Emerita Janice Holden, argue that NDEs could be evidence of the human soul existing beyond the brain, citing veridical experiences that challenge current scientific theories.
- The emotional power of NDEs is undeniable, as those who experience them often return with vivid memories, feel fundamentally changed, and have a profoundly altered attitude toward death.
- Ongoing research continues to explore the psychological consequences of NDEs, including the potential use of virtual reality to replicate these experiences and study their effects, regardless of the scientific debate surrounding neurobiological explanations.
