Neuroscientist Finds Possible Explanation of Near-Death Experiences

[kurth]

Neuroscientist Finds Possible Explanation of Near-Death Experiences
Mysterious Phenomenon May Be Related to Sleep Disorder

April 10, 2006 — - It's an unusual area of science, but after a patient described mysterious experiences and feelings during a close brush with death, Dr. Kevin Nelson knew he wanted to learn more. "It was so vivid to him. I was struck by the intensity of the report he gave me," Nelson said of the patient's near-death experience, which occurred when Nelson was a medical intern. Nelson, now a neurophysiologist at the University of Kentucky, published one of the few studies on the subject in today's issue of the journal Neurology.

The study compares the sleep patterns of 55 people who have reported unusual sensations during a during near-death experience to 55 people who haven't. For the study, near-death experience was defined as "a time during a life-threatening episode of danger such as a car accident or heart attack when a person experienced a variety of feelings, including a sense of being outside of one's physical body, unusual alertness, seeing an intense light, and a feeling of peace," according to a news release describing the study.

He and his team of researchers discovered that the near-death study group had a significantly higher rate (60 percent compared with 24 percent) of a sleep disorder known as rapid eye movement, or REM, intrusion. This disorder causes one of the most active dream states of sleep -- REM -- to intrude into wakefulness, causing a person to sometimes wake up and feel paralyzed, experience leg muscle weakness or wake up to hear sounds other people didn't.

This may explain why some people have near-death experiences after undergoing a traumatic event that causes unconsciousness, Nelson said. When a person is under the threat, their fight-or-flight nervous system is evoked. But as they come out of unconsciousness, some mental wires may be crossed. Nelson said it is important to understand that he wasn't trying to debunk any of the reasons why near-death experiences occur. He wanted to understand the how not the why, he said. "This does not impact on the personal meaning of these experiences," he said.

http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=1827038

[rockymountaindem]

1. I've heard that theory used to explain alien abduction as well

It seems like a very powerful part of our mind, eh?

[hobbit709]

2. Sounds like a lot of

my acid trips to me.

[TallahasseeGrannie]

3. Very interesting

Does anyone know if there has ever been any "proof" of out-of-body experiences by a person seeing, for example, something on top of a medical light?

I would imagine there are a lot of claims, but are any reliable?

This topic fascinates me.

[TexasProgresive]

4. A local doctor gave a talk on NDE's of his patients

He told of one man who had never seen the Dr except from his bed. The doctor was just growing a bald spot that the patient could not see. In fact as the doctor is fairly tall none of his associates had seen it. The patient described the early part of his NDE. He had risen above the medical team working on him to rest in the light fixture. He described the brand and wattage of the bulbs and then to the doctor's surprize and chagrin said, "And Dr. Phil, (no not that one) do you know that you have a quarter sized bald spot?"

[Dogmudgeon]

5. This isn't new at all

Neuroscientists have accepted that sleep paralysis is related to all kinds of unusual experiences for at least twenty years; initial research goes back to the 1950s, and it was even mentioned by 19th century neurologists, as well as naturalists and physicians as long ago as the Greek golden age.

I'm in a unique position to understand it, at least to the extent it can be understood: not only did I work as a sleep technician for several years, but I've had sleep paralysis all my life, and I was lucky enough to learn as a kid that my weird and sometimes scary experiences were not being caused by ghosts and devils, but by a quirk of my neurology.

How did I come into this knowlege? One of my space alien friends told me.

:evilgrin:

The idea of a "God circuit" in the brain, as stupid as that sounds (though the media like it), isn't as far-fetched as it seems. Such a "circuit" would produce very natural "mystical" experiences. Perhaps further study will allow us all to enjoy, rather than be deceived by, mystical rapture.

One enjoyable example, Genesis' mini-rock-opera, Supper's Ready, triggers strong mystical feelings and thoughts in many people; but they don't then run out and proclaim that Peter Gabriel is the Prophet of the Lord, and slaughter the fans of REO Speedwagon. Neither the faithful nor the atheists need be upset; there will always be plenty to argue about.

--p!

[Zhade]

6. I think people are scared by this article.

Hence, its low response.