Scientists to Study 'White Light' Near-Death Experiences

[GrnMarvl14]

Source.

Many reports of near-death experiences sound the same: a welcoming white light and a replay of memories.

Now scientists aim to study what really happens to the brain and consciousness when someone is on the verge of dying.

In a new study called AWARE (AWAreness during REsuscitation), doctors will examine patients in hospitals in Europe and North America who reach a state called cardiac arrest.

"Contrary to popular perception, death is not a specific moment," said leader of the study Dr. Sam Parnia of the University of Southampton in England. "It is a process that begins when the heart stops beating, the lungs stop working and the brain ceases functioning — a medical condition termed cardiac arrest, which from a biological viewpoint is synonymous with clinical death."

Science has long struggled to define death, and to determine when the precise moment of death occurs.

Most doctors now consider death more of a process than an event. A person is thought to have died when he stops breathing, his heart stops beating, and his brain activity ceases.

"During a cardiac arrest, all three criteria of death are present," Parnia said. "There then follows a period of time, which may last from a few seconds to an hour or more, in which emergency medical efforts may succeed in restarting the heart and reversing the dying process.

"What people experience during this period of cardiac arrest provides a unique window of understanding into what we are all likely to experience during the dying process."

Previous research suggests about 10 to 20 percent of people who live through cardiac arrest report lucid, well-structured thought processes, reasoning, memories and sometimes detailed recall of events during their encounter with death.

One study found that people who reported peaceful feelings, bright light and out-of-body experiences during a brush with death are more likely to have had difficulty separating sleep from wakefulness in their everyday lives.

Both before and after their near-death experiences, these people often have symptoms of the rapid-eye movement (REM) state of sleep while awake.

The AWARE researchers want to find out what happens to the brain when a person's body has started to shut down, whether it is possible for people see and hear during cardiac arrest, and what's going on during out of body experiences.

The launch of the AWARE study was announced at an international symposium at the United Nations Sept. 11.

Finally. I've been waiting for someone to do a study on this. Can't wait until we get some results.

 

[Nekusagi]

You know, I understand why science does these things, because they want knowledge, but every time I hear about one of these studies, I just think of that Edgar Allan Poe poem, A Sonnet- To Science. It seems like science is taking all the beautiful and mysterious out of our world.

And at the risk of getting into a huge debate on spirituality (which I know it will inevitably spiral into), why can't we just leave well enough alone? If near death experiences bring some people comfort on their deathbeds, regardless of your views on the soul, life after death, etc, why does science feel a need to explain them away to "enlighten" us. As a very spiritual person who's constantly having her views mocked as superstition by the scientific majority, this just seems like another excuse to feel superior to someone because they believe in angels (or reincarnation, or out of body experiences, or whatever) and to me that's just simple elitism.

*ends rant*

 

[GrnMarvl14]

It's not to feel superior, it's to add some scientific backing to these experiences people have. Yes, it explains it away, but it also proves that these people ARE experiencing something. Ultimately, it will probably be like dreams, where we can't explain EVERYTHING that goes on, but we can explain WHY it happens.

 

[Nekusagi]

I know.

I was half awake at the time of typing it. I got the idea from the article, and was still a little annoyed at something I'd read in my Psych textbook at the time.

Sorry if I came off like a jerk.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

I know.

I was half awake at the time of typing it. I got the idea from the article, and was still a little annoyed at something I'd read in my Psych textbook at the time.

Sorry if I came off like a jerk.

Nah, more like someone who just wants to watch a magic trick and doesn't want to know how it's done because it spoils it.

 

[The Outrage]

For some reason I sometimes see a bright white flash when I go to sleep aswell. For a small moment in time it also feels like I just went out of my body.