Nature reviews. Neurology
June 1, 2025
Charlotte Martial, Pauline Fritz, Olivia Gosseries et al.
19 citations
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are episodes of disconnected consciousness with prototypical mystical features, often occurring during actual or perceived physical threat. Various explanatory theories have been proposed, but integration has been limited. Converging evidence from neuroscience—including non-human studies, psychedelic-induced mystical experiences, and research on the dying brain—now offers a comprehensive explanation. This Review discusses psychological and neurophysiological processes underlying NDEs, including cellular and electrophysiological brain network changes and neurotransmitter alterations. The authors propose a model encompassing a cascade of concomitant processes within an evolutionary framework and consider how NDE research informs debates on consciousness emergence near brain death.
Frontiers in Human Neuroscience
April 28, 2023
Aminata Bicego, Héléna Cassol, Jessica Simon et al.
13 citations
Spiritual beliefs, Openness to experience, and Fantasy proneness are associated with recalling a near-death experience (NDE) or an NDE-like experience (similar phenomenology without a life-threatening context). In a retrospective study of 181 people divided into four groups—NDE experiencers, NDE-like experiencers, controls who faced a life-threatening situation without an NDE, and controls with neither—multivariate logistic regression showed that spiritual beliefs predicted NDE-like recall, while Openness and Fantasy proneness predicted NDE recall. A discriminant analysis using these variables correctly classified only 35% of cases, indicating other factors also play a role.
International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP
January 1, 2024
Charlotte Martial, Pauline Fritz, Héléna Cassol et al.
3 citations
One year after a prolonged intensive care unit (ICU) stay, survivors who reported a near-death experience (NDE) retained vivid, stable memories with many phenomenological details such as visual features and emotions. Among 126 adult ICU survivors, 19 (15%) reported an NDE as identified by the Greyson scale. The most common NDE features were altered time perception, heightened senses, and life review; Greyson scores did not change over the year. One year later, 18% of the NDE group and 24% of the non-NDE group were less afraid of death. The findings suggest that clinicians should interview all ICU patients about their memories.
Brain and Behavior
October 1, 2025
Pauline Fritz, Anaïs Pichelin, Aurore Ancion et al.
2 citations
A case of a near-death experience (NDE) occurring in a medical and pharmacological context is examined, highlighting the lasting transformations it can trigger. The account underscores the importance for clinicians to recognize NDEs because of their potential long-term effects on patients and their relevance to medical practice.
Frontiers in Psychology
July 22, 2025
Pascal Michael, Pauline Fritz, Olivia Gosseries et al.
1 citation
Near-death experiences (NDEs), which involve mystical-type content during life-threatening situations, are not well studied in acute medical care. This article argues for more comprehensive NDE research in emergency and critical care settings, citing reasons such as experiencers' awareness of surroundings and the need for patient support due to NDEs' profound psychological impacts. The authors suggest incorporating identification of NDEs into management plans and propose that exploring NDE incidence and their subsequent impact in acute settings may lead to favorable clinical outcomes.