Beyond Life and Death: Understanding Neural Correlates of Near-Death Experiences Through EEG and fMRI

Apurva Sudesh Abitkar, Zainab Hashmi, Clissia Dsouza, Balamurali Krishna Muralee Dharan Veena, Maria Shibu, Ved Atul Ahire

Abstract


Near-death experiences (NDEs) are a phenomenon that often changes people’s lives drastically. It occurs when a person goes through extreme psychological or physical trauma and survives by narrowly escaping death. This includes out-of-body feelings, intense life reviews, feelings of peace, and meeting deceased loved ones. NDEs are challenging to explain because they are fundamentally subjective, and the neural basis is even more difficult to explain. However, newer and more progressive techniques of neuroimaging such as EEG and fMRI machines have provided more evidence towards the correlates of these experiences. This review focuses on the neurochemical and physiological changes accompanying NDEs with emphasis on the cortical and subcortical regions of the brain. It also analyzes the EEG results regarding oscillation of the brain and fMRI result that mark particular brain parts that make neural networks responsible for NDEs. The clinical and philosophical perspectives of these findings along with the methodological approaches to study such phenomena are also provided. The point of this review is to interpret how profound the results are and attempt to outline what future research needs to be aimed at attempts to unmask the neurosciences of NDEs.

Keywords


Near-death experiences (NDEs), EEG (electroencephalography), fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging), Brain oscillations, Neural correlates, Cortical and subcortical brain regions, Neurochemistry, Consciousness, Out-of-body experiences, Neuroimaging,

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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.52155/ijpsat.v49.2.7093

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