Neuro-functional modeling of near-death experiences in contexts of altered states of consciousness.
Frontiers in psychology January 1, 2022 Raymond Romand, Günter Ehret 8 citations
Near-death experiences (NDEs), including out-of-body experiences (OBEs), can be explained by neuro-functional models of altered brain states. By comparing reports from original NDEs with those from experimental settings—such as drug consumption, epilepsy, brain stimulation, ischemic stress, and fighter pilot tests under gravitational stress causing cephalic nervous system ischemia—a large overlap of themes emerged. These models offer scientifically appropriate causal explanations for NDEs. The generation of OBEs can be localized to the temporo-parietal junction, a multimodal association area. The literature suggests that NDEs may arise as hallucination-like phenomena from a brain in altered states of consciousness.