Brain Structure and Function
January 1, 2021
Jitka Annen, Rajanikant Panda, Charlotte Martial et al.
15 citations
A world champion free diver's brain activity and connectivity shift markedly during a 6.5-minute breath-hold. EEG shows increased alpha wave power and connectivity, with decreased delta band connectivity. fMRI reveals heightened connectivity within the default mode network and visual areas, but reduced connectivity in sensorimotor cortices. These changes overlap with some meditation-related brain signatures but also include unique features suggesting altered somatosensory integration. Self-reports indicate that elite free divers may achieve a state of sensory dissociation during prolonged apnea, reflecting their ability to adapt psychologically and physiologically to extreme breath-holding.
NeuroImage
September 1, 2024
Charlotte Martial, Andrea Piarulli, Olivia Gosseries et al.
10 citations
During fainting, some people have dream-like experiences with extraordinary, mystical features similar to near-death experiences. In 22 healthy volunteers who fainted under controlled conditions, eight reported such near-death-like features. Their brain activity showed higher electrical activity in delta, theta, and beta2 frequency bands in temporal and frontal regions, including the insula, right temporoparietal junction, and cingulate cortex. The richer the experience, the stronger the activity in these areas. The brains of those with near-death-like experiences also showed more complex, more connected, and more integrated neural networks compared to those without such experiences. These surges of neural activity may mark disconnected consciousness during fainting.
Trials
May 28, 2025
Veerle De Sloovere, Liese Mebis, Pieter Wouters et al.
9 citations
Ketamine, a sedative and analgesic, has been avoided in severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) due to a precaution about raising intracranial pressure (ICP). Observational studies and two meta-analyses do not suggest that ketamine increases ICP in sedated, mechanically ventilated TBI patients. The Brain Injury and Ketamine (BIKe) study is a planned prospective, multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized trial. It will test whether adding ketamine (1 mg/kg/h continuous infusion) to standard sedation in 100 adult ICU patients with severe TBI is safe and reduces the need for other therapies to control ICP. The primary safety endpoint is the median number of high ICP episodes per ICU stay.