Life may certainly flash in front of us when we die, EEG studies suggest

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File Image-Medical image is shown at a hospital in Savoie, France. (Photo courtesy of BSIP / Universal Image Group via Getty Images)

Louisville, Kentucky ―――― What happens to the brain when we die? The memorable moments of life may certainly flash in front of us, suggesting the first record of the dying human brain.

For centuries, the process of “recalling life,” that is, the process of remembering one’s life memory in just a few seconds when experiencing a near-death experience or death itself, has puzzled neuroscientists.

new Studies published this week According to Dr. Ajmal Zemmar of the University of Louisville and colleagues based around the world, the brain suggests that it may continue to be active during and after the transition to death.

“When you define death, it opens an interesting question to me,” Zemar said in. Statement announcing new research“It plays a big role in questions such as when to donate organs, when to die, and if the heart stops beating because the brain keeps moving. A discussion about its exact start time.”

The findings were somewhat coincidental in that an 87-year-old patient with epilepsy underwent an electroencephalogram (EEG) to detect a seizure. However, according to the statement, during these recordings, the patient died of a heart attack.

As a result, scientists recorded for the first time the activity of the dying human brain, the study authors said.

“We measured 900 seconds of brain activity at the time of death and set a specific focus to investigate what happened 30 seconds before and after the heart stopped beating,” he said. Zemmar, Neurosurgeon, University of LouisvilleThe person who organized the study of recording.

Shortly before and shortly after the heart stopped functioning, the team noticed changes in certain bands of brain waves. This is called neural oscillation. Researchers say that various types of vibrations, including gamma, are involved in high cognitive function. This includes concentration, dreams, meditation, memory retrieval, information processing, and conscious perception. This is similar to the one related to memory flashbacks.

In a new study, changes in so-called gamma oscillations were observed. Changes were also observed in other vibrations such as delta, theta, alpha and beta vibrations. These brain waves tell us everything from what we experience when we are asleep to what we do when we are awake. Shinha ClinicAn Illinois-based clinic that provides neuropsychiatric treatment.

“By generating the vibrations of the brain involved in memory recovery, the brain may be playing the last recollection of an important life event just before we die, similar to what was reported in near-death experiences. “Zemmar suggested.

The authors of the study said the findings “challenge to understand exactly when life ends,” considering whether the heart beats or the brain stops functioning. increase.

What does the discovery of the dying brain teach us?

Zemar said his main points can be divided into various categories: scientific, metaphysical, philosophical, and spiritual.

Scientifically, the data remains difficult to interpret because the brain was the brain of a dying patient who was suffering from bleeding, seizures, and swelling. The study points out that researchers are unlikely to be able to obtain uninterrupted records near the death of “healthy subjects” and only records of “acute hospital settings”. ..

This recording was the first of its kind, but it was only one case.

“Therefore, we cannot make very large assumptions or claims based on this case,” Zemmar said.

The photo is a CT scan of an unidentified patient. (Credit: Front. Aging Neurosci., / Provided)

On the metaphysical side, the authors of the study stated that the observed patterns of brain activity that occur when we have states of memory recall, dreams, and meditation are “intriguing to infer.” rice field. Zemmar suggested that it probably allows our brains to “replay life in the last few seconds of our death.”

“On the mental side, I think it’s a little calm,” added the researchers and neurosurgeons, explaining the moments when they often spend time with their loved ones and their families.

“You have to be the bearer of bad news. So far, I don’t know anything about what happens to the brains of their loved ones when they are dying. Something in their brains. We can tell these families because they remember a nice moment if they knew what was happening, and at the moment they were falling, this would catch them It builds a sense of warmth that can be a little helpful, “Zemmar provided.

The study was published on February 22 Frontier of Aging Neuroscience..

This story was reported by Cincinnati.