A neuroscientific model of near-death experiences.
Charlotte Martial, Pauline Fritz, Olivia Gosseries, Vincent Bonhomme, Daniel Kondziella, Kevin R. Nelson, Nicolas Lejeune
Nature Reviews Neurology June 1, 2025 DOI: 10.1038/s41582-025-01072-z (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Review Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Citations | 19 |
| Key findings | Converging neuroscientific evidence supports a comprehensive model of near-death experiences as a cascade of psychological and neurophysiological processes within an evolutionary framework. |
Abstract
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are episodes of disconnected consciousness that typically occur in situations that involve an actual or potential physical threat or are perceived as such, and the experiences are characterized by a rich content with prototypical mystical features. Several explanatory theories for NDEs have been proposed, ranging from psychological or neurophysiological to evolutionary models. However, these concepts were often formulated independently, and, owing to the fragmented nature of research in this domain, integration of these ideas has been limited. Lines of empirical evidence from different areas of neuroscience, including non-human studies, studies investigating psychedelic-induced mystical experiences in humans, and research on the dying brain, are now converging to provide a comprehensive explanation for NDEs. In this Review, we discuss processes that might underlie the rich conscious experience in NDEs, mostly focusing on prototypical examples and addressing both the potential psychological mechanisms and neurophysiological changes, including cellular and electrophysiological brain network modifications and alterations in neurotransmitter release. On the basis of this discussion, we propose a model for NDEs that encompasses a cascade of concomitant psychological and neurophysiological processes within an evolutionary framework. We also consider how NDE research can inform the debate on the emergence of consciousness in near-death conditions that arise before brain death.
Comparable studies
Other narrative reviews on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Distressing Near-Death Experiences | 1992 | Review | |
| Attitude Change Following Near-Death Experiences Individuals who have had near-death experiences | 1980 | Review | n = 21 |
| Near-death experiences. | 2004 | Review | |
| The Handbook of Near-Death Experiences | 2009 | Review | |
| Near-death experiences in cardiac arrest survivors | 2005 | Review |
Citations in the library
Cited by 13
- Children’s near-death experiences: tales from nurses - a content analysis study BMC Nursing June 8, 2026
- They Only Come Out at Night Cambridge University Press eBooks March 1, 2026
- Reply to ‘Recalled experiences of death: need for empirical research without prejudice’ Nature Reviews Neurology February 11, 2026
- Operationalizing near‑death experiences: Stability of the NDE Rasch hierarchy over two decades. Consciousness and Cognition January 18, 2026
- Illuminating consciousness. Frontiers in Psychology 2026
and 8 more in the library
Cites 85
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- Neural correlates of consciousness: progress and problems Nature Reviews Neuroscience April 20, 2016
- Neural correlates of the psychedelic state as determined by fMRI studies with psilocybin Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences January 23, 2012
- Psilocybin induces schizophrenia-like psychosis in humans via a serotonin-2 agonist action Neuroreport December 1, 1998
- Mystical-type experiences occasioned by psilocybin mediate the attribution of personal meaning and spiritual significance 14 months later Journal of Psychopharmacology May 30, 2008
and 80 more in the library