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Near-Death Experiences and the Temporal Lobe

Willoughby B. Britton, Richard R Bootzin

Psychological Science March 24, 2004 DOI: 10.1111/j.0956-7976.2004.00661.x (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Observational cohort Peer reviewed
Population Individuals who reported having had a near-death experience during a life-threatening event and control subjects
Topics Near-death experience
Keywords Temporal lobe Cognitive psychology Developmental psychology Epilepsy
Citations 156
Key findings Individuals who reported near-death experiences had more temporal lobe epileptiform EEG activity and temporal lobe symptoms than controls, with epileptiform activity nearly completely lateralized to the left hemisphere.

Abstract

Many studies in humans suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning, especially functioning in the right temporal lobe, is involved in mystical and religious experiences. We investigated temporal lobe functioning in individuals who reported having transcendental "near-death experiences" during life-threatening events. These individuals were found to have more temporal lobe epileptiform electroencephalographic activity than control subjects and also reported significantly more temporal lobe epileptic symptoms. Contrary to predictions, epileptiform activity was nearly completely lateralized to the left hemisphere. The near-death experience was not associated with dysfunctional stress reactions such as dissociation, posttraumatic stress disorder, and substance abuse, but rather was associated with positive coping styles. Additional analyses revealed that near-death experiencers had altered sleep patterns, specifically, a shorter duration of sleep and delayed REM sleep relative to the control group. These results suggest that altered temporal lobe functioning may be involved in the near-death experience and that individuals who have had such experiences are physiologically distinct from the general population.

In the evidence

This study is part of the evidence base for a synthesis in the library. Here is how each one recorded it.

  • State of the evidence: Near-death experience Supports

    NDE reporters had more temporal lobe epileptiform EEG activity and symptoms than controls, mostly lateralized to the left hemisphere, along with shorter sleep and delayed REM sleep and positive coping styles.

    Synthesized

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
Dissociation in people who have near-death experiences: out of their bodies or out of their minds? Individuals who had come close to death, with and without self-reported near-death... 2000 Observational cohort n = 134

Citations in the library

Cited by 58

and 53 more in the library

Cites 5

Related reading

Explore topics

Near-death experience Mystical experience Mysticism