Recalled Experience of Death: transcending the cerebrocentric model of consciousness

A non-systematic review of five prospective studies on near-death experiences (termed Recalled Experience of Death, RED) documents that these phenomena occur during clinical death. The findings challenge the view of consciousness as a mere byproduct of brain activity and instead support an organismic model of existence. The review suggests that a quantum-mechanics-inspired unified informational field may explain consciousness as non-local, prompting a new understanding of the mind-brain relationship. This knowledge may help healthcare professionals address existential problems in mental health, palliative care, and spiritual issues, though the field remains in a pre-paradigmatic stage.

Study at a glance

Abstract

To explore the scientific approach to Recalled Experience of Death (RED) and correlate it with the philosophical foundations of Family and Community Medicine to expand the understanding of the human consciousness. Non-systematic review on PubMed database for relevant “prospective studies” on “near-death experience”. Five prospective studies documented RED phenomenon occurrences during clinical death. RED-studies strengthen an organismic model of existence and challenge consciousness concept as epiphenomenon of brain activities. This prompts a new understanding of mind-brain relationship inspired by quantum mechanics unified informational field, i.e., consciousness as non-local. This knowledge can help healthcare professionals in dealing with patients with existential problems as in mental health, palliative care, and spiritual issues. RED-studies epitomise a pre-paradigmatic stage in the construction of a new concept of human consciousness in relation to the brain.