Explaining the phenomena of near-death experiences.
Am J Dis Child August 1, 1987 DOI: 10.1001/archpedi.1987.04460080014002 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Case study Case report Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 1 |
| Population | A 16-year-old girl with right posterotemporal lobe seizures |
| Topics | Near-death experience |
| Key findings | The authors argue that a 16-year-old girl's seizures, during which she reported stepping out of her body and looking back at herself for several seconds, provide further clinical evidence that near-death experience processes can be localized to the cortex, specifically the temporal lobe. They connect this to Morse et al.'s speculation that temporal lobe neuronal connections code for out-of-body experiences. |
Abstract
Sir.—Morse et al1reported the psychic phenomena of 11 children who had near-death experiences (NDE) following cardiac arrest (seven patients), near drowning (two patients), hyperosmolar coma (one patient), and trauma (one patient). In their fascinating article, they described "out-ofbody" perceptions and visual field constrictions as prominent features of the childhood "core NDE." Based on cortical stimulation studies and a clinical report of an adult with temporal lobe seizures, the authors speculated that neuronal connections located in the temporal lobe code for out-of-body experiences. We would like to provide further clinical evidence for the cortical localization of the NDE processes by describing a 16-year-old girl with right posterotemporal lobe seizures that are characterized by the patient's reported psychic experience of stepping out of her body and looking back at herself for several seconds. Morse et al further speculated that hypercapnia and hypoxia may trigger NDE-like experiences through direct activation
Comparable studies
Other case reports and case series on near-death experience, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| Near-Death Experiences in India Individuals in India who reported near-death experiences | 1986 | Case study | n = 16 |
| The Near-Death Experience as a Focus of Clinical Attention Patients presenting with near-death experience-related problems | 1997 | Case study | n = 4 |
| A prospectively studied near-death experience with corroborated out-of-body perceptions and unexplained healing. A person who had a near-death experience | 2006 | Case report | n = 1 |
| Verified account of near-death experience in a physician who survived cardiac arrest. A 32-year-old female physician experiencing childbirth | 2020 | Case study | n = 1 |
| This is your brain on death: a comparative analysis of a near-death experience and subsequent 5-Methoxy-DMT experience. An individual who had a near-death experience during a coma caused by bacterial... | 2023 | Case study | n = 1 |