The out-of body experience: precipitating factors and neural correlates.
Progress in Brain Research January 1, 2005 Silvia Bünning, Olaf Blanke
Out-of-body experiences (OBEs) involve feeling awake while perceiving one's body and surroundings from a location outside the physical body, characterized by disembodiment, an elevated and distanced visuo-spatial perspective, and seeing one's own body (autoscopy). OBEs have been reported across cultures throughout history. This review examines classic triggers such as sleep, drug use, and general anesthesia, alongside recent neurological and neurocognitive findings. The evidence suggests OBEs result from a functional disintegration of lower-level multisensory processing and abnormal higher-level self-processing at the temporo-parietal junction. Investigating interactions between these mechanisms, using neuroimaging and behavioral techniques, may advance understanding of corporal awareness and self-consciousness.