Phenomenological memory characteristics and impact of near-death experience in critically ill survivors: Observations at discharge and after a 1-year follow-up.
Charlotte Martial, Pauline Fritz, Héléna Cassol, Olivia Gosseries, Bernard Lambermont, Benoit Misset, Anne-Françoise Rousseau
International journal of clinical and health psychology : IJCHP 2024 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijchp.2024.100478 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Prospective cohort study with 1-year follow-up Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 126 |
| Population | Adult survivors of a prolonged (>7 days) ICU stay (all etiologies) |
| Duration | 1-year follow-up |
| Topics | Near-death experience Philosophy of mind |
| Keywords | Critical illness Haut du formulaire Impact Memory |
| Citations | 3 |
| Key findings | NDE memories persisted with stable phenomenological characteristics over one year, and a minority of both NDE and non-NDE patients became less afraid of death. |
Abstract
It is not rare that intensive care unit (ICU) patients report unusual subjective experiences, ranging from a feeling of harmony with the environment to complex phenomena such as near-death experience (NDE). This 1-year follow-up study investigates the characteristics and potential global impact of the NDE memories recalled by ICU survivors. We prospectively enrolled 126 adult survivors of a prolonged (>7days) ICU stay (all etiologies), including 19 (15 %) who reported a NDE as identified by the Greyson NDE scale. The NDE group underwent a semi-structured interview one month later evaluating their memory characteristics and the associated life-threatening situation. One year after inclusion, all patients (regardless of whether they recalled an NDE) were contacted for a follow-up Greyson NDE scale assessment and questions about their ICU experience and opinions on death since discharge. The Greyson NDE scale revealed that the most frequently reported features were altered time perception, heightened senses and life review, and the Greyson total scores did not evolve over time. NDE memories persisted, with a consequent number of phenomenological characteristics (e.g., visual details, emotions). One year post-ICU, two patients (18 %) of the NDE group and 12 (24 %) of the non-NDE group were less afraid of death. Results emphasize the clinical importance of interviewing all ICU patients to explore any memory after an ICU stay.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands Cardiac patients successfully resuscitated after cardiac arrest in ten Dutch hospitals | 2001 | Prospective cohort study | n = 344 |
| Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit Cardiac inpatients at a tertiary care center | 2003 | Observational cohort | n = 1,595 |
| Features of "near-death experience" in relation to whether or not patients were near death Patients who believed they were near death during an illness or after an injury and... | 1990 | Observational cohort | n = 58 |
| The phenomenology of near-death experiences Subjects who reported near-death experiences | 1980 | Retrospective study | n = 78 |
| Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe Individuals who reported having had a near-death experience during a life-threatening... | 2004 | Observational cohort |
Citations in the library
Cited by 3
- Systematic Review on the Aftereffects of Near-Death Experiences. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying June 11, 2025
- Near‐Death Experience During Emergency Ketamine Use: A Case Report Brain and Behavior October 1, 2025
- Near-Death Experiences in Adult ICU Patients: A Scoping Review. Nursing in Critical Care July 1, 2026
Cites 23
- Near-death experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the Netherlands The Lancet December 1, 2001
- The Near-Death Experience Scale The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease June 1, 1983
- Incidence and correlates of near-death experiences in a cardiac care unit General Hospital Psychiatry July 1, 2003
- Features of "near-death experience" in relation to whether or not patients were near death The Lancet November 1, 1990
- Characteristics of Near-Death Experiences Memories as Compared to Real and Imagined Events Memories PLoS One March 27, 2013
and 18 more in the library