Neurophenomenology of near-death experience memory in hypnotic recall: a within-subject EEG study.
Charlotte Martial, Armand Mensen, Vanessa Charland-verville, Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, Daniel Rentmeister, Mohamed Ali Bahri, Héléna Cassol, Jérôme Englebert, Olivia Gosseries, Steven Laureys, Marie-elisabeth Faymonville
Scientific reports October 1, 2019 Peer reviewed DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50601-6 via PubMed
Summary
The study successfully recreated near-death experience (NDE)-like features in five volunteers using hypnosis while measuring brain activity with high-density EEG. Participants reported higher levels of absorption and dissociation during hypnosis compared to normal consciousness. The recall of NDE phenomenology was linked to increased alpha activity in frontal and posterior brain regions. This work demonstrates a methodology for further exploring NDE-like features and their associated EEG changes in controlled environments.
Study at a glance
| Design | proof-of-concept study |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 5 |
| Population | volunteers who previously experienced a pleasant near-death experience |
| Key finding | Hypnosis successfully induced NDE-like features and was associated with increased alpha activity in specific brain regions. |
Abstract
The neurobiological basis of near-death experiences (NDEs) is unknown, but a few studies attempted to investigate it by reproducing in laboratory settings phenomenological experiences that seem to closely resemble NDEs. So far, no study has induced NDE-like features via hypnotic modulation while simultaneously measuring changes in brain activity using high-density EEG. Five volunteers who previously had experienced a pleasant NDE were invited to re-experience the NDE memory and another pleasant autobiographical memory (dating to the same time period), in normal consciousness and with hypnosis. We compared the hypnosis-induced subjective experience with the one of the genuine experience memory. Continuous high-density EEG was recorded throughout. At a phenomenological level, we succeeded in recreating NDE-like features without any adverse effects. Absorption and dissociation levels were reported as higher during all hypnosis conditions as compared to normal consciousness conditions, suggesting that our hypnosis-based protocol increased the felt subjective experience in the recall of both memories. The recall of a NDE phenomenology was related to an increase of alpha activity in frontal and posterior regions. This study provides a proof-of-concept methodology for studying the phenomenon, enabling to prospectively explore the NDE-like features and associated EEG changes in controlled settings.