Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe
Psychological Science March 24, 2004 Willoughby B. Britton, Richard R. Bootzin 156 citations
People who report having had a near-death experience during a life-threatening event show more temporal lobe epileptiform brain activity and more temporal lobe epilepsy symptoms than control subjects. However, contrary to earlier findings linking mystical experiences to the right temporal lobe, the epileptiform activity was almost entirely in the left hemisphere. Near-death experiencers do not show dysfunctional stress reactions such as dissociation, posttraumatic stress disorder, or substance abuse; instead they have positive coping styles. They also have altered sleep patterns: shorter sleep duration and delayed REM sleep. The findings suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning may play a role in near-death experiences and that these individuals are physiologically distinct from the general population.