Continuous EEG of memories of Near-death and mystical experiences: Preliminary research

Continuous EEG monitoring (CEEG) revealed increased brain activity while individuals recalled near-death experiences (NDE) and spiritual contemplative experiences (SCE). The amplitude of the CEEG envelope increased during both types of recall, with a greater increase for SCE, particularly in the frontal lobes. Statistical increments in absolute power for alpha and gamma brainwave bands occurred during both NDE and SCE recall. The authors conclude that CEEG is a useful method for continuously assessing dynamic brain changes during these experiences.

Study at a glance

Abstract

We recently recorded, processed, and published brain activity by quantitative electroencephalography (QEEG) and quantitative electroencephalography (QEEGt), comparing separate subjects remembering their near-death experience (NDE) and mystical experience. Our studies refer to a mystical experience as a spiritual contemplative experience (SCE). We found neural and Greyson Scale (GS) correlations between them. This study is a real-time enhancement of that study using the emerging technology of continuous EEG monitoring (CEEG), which intensive care unit (ICU) professionals use to identify malignant EEG patterns quickly and provide care effectively. EEG monitoring encompasses a wide range of technical and clinical issues in successfully monitoring critically ill patients to detect significant changes in cerebral function and prevent serious neuronal injury over time. Because the brain undergoes continuous and dynamic changes, CEEG was considered an important method for real-time monitoring of functional brain changes while remembering near-death experiences (NDE) and spiritual contemplative experience (SCE). The CEEG envelope showed an incremental amplitude coinciding with NDE and SCE remembering the time, but an increase of amplitude was greater for SCE. CEEG also demonstrated a greater amplitude in frontal lobes for SCE. Statistical increments of absolute power for alpha and gamma bands were demonstrated during both NDE and SCE. We conclude that CEEG is a useful method for continuously assessing dynamic changes while remembering NDE and SCE.