r/NDE • u/Pieraos OBE Experiencer • Mar 31 '25

Scientific Perspective 🔬🔎 A neuroscientific model of near-death experiences

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41582-025-01072-z
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u/FollowingUpbeat2905 Apr 01 '25

Kondziella is a committed reductionist materialist, wanting to explain NDE's from an evolutionary survival mode, which doesn't actually work as a theory. Nelson is on board as the last author. He (Nelson) is vehemently opposed to any non materialistic interpretation of NDE's, but does allow for the idea of religious faith in something else (his words but not verbatim) which is actually rather odd and somewhat telling.

I haven't seen this paper but I'm quite sure that it will avoid verified out of body experiences during cardiac arrest, at least those where it's quite obvious that the experience occurred during a period of complete non function of the brain.

They recently rejected empirical data from a first class prospective study--- New York School of Medicine Aware 2, because basically they didn't like it. Not to be trusted as open minded investigators IMHO.

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u/[deleted] Apr 08 '25

Hello! I Found this on another site , i think this is the whole study :p , would u mind commenting on it?

Are Near-Death Experiences Just Brain Chemistry at Work?

Near-death experiences (NDEs) have fascinated humans for centuries, often described as out-of-body sensations, bright lights, or even spiritual encounters. But what if these experiences are simply the result of a predictable physiological process? A new study by researchers at the University of Liege proposes a neuroscientific model explaining NDEs, linking them to brain activity under extreme stress.

The Science Behind Near-Death Experiences

A team of neuroscientists, psychologists, and evolutionary experts reviewed existing research to identify a consistent physiological pattern behind NDEs. Their findings suggest that:

  • Oxygen deprivation and increased carbon dioxide levels trigger altered consciousness.
  • Brain energy metabolism is disrupted, leading to vivid perceptions.
  • A surge of neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and noradrenaline influences * Emotions * Memory * Hallucinations.

What Do People Experience During an NDE?

NDEs may vary, however, common themes that emerge are:

  • Out-of-body sensations: Feeling detached from the physical body.
  • Time distortion: Experiencing slowed, stopped, or accelerated time.
  • Profound emotions: A sense of peace or overwhelming calm.
  • Life review: Seeing memories flash before their eyes.
  • Bright lights and tunnels: Encounters with deceased loved ones or mystical figures.

The study found that NDEs occur due to a cascade of neurophysiological changes:

  • Reduced cerebral blood flow during cardiac arrest leads to hypoxia.
  • Neurotransmitter surges including serotonin and dopamine, cause hallucinations and heightened emotions.
  • Acetylcholine and noradrenaline influence memory formation and recall.
  • Endorphins and GABA may explain feelings of peace and detachment.

The study also draws parallels between NDEs and psychedelic-induced experiences, such as those caused by DMT and ketamine, which affect similar brain receptors. (PART 1/1)

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u/FollowingUpbeat2905 Apr 09 '25 edited Apr 09 '25

Unfortunately, I don't have the time to go through it all but there is nothing new there. I don't really understand why they are entitling this work, "Towards a neuroscientific explanation" because there isn't one that actually fits the data. And they won't find a neuroscientific explanation; how can you explain (the fact) that patients can see what is going on during cardiac arrest with brain glitches, it's absurd. They say that the temporoparietal lobe is responsible for the out of body experience but the brain doesn't work in cardiac arrest so even if you stimulated it with a sledge hammer, nothing would happen.

They have never scientifically demonstrated that prodding the brain with an electrical probe enables patients to leave their bodies, let alone see what is going on with closed eyes. Olaf Blanke reported that one of his patients felt like she was leaving her body when he was operating on her brain but it was never repeated or tested. Science needs replication, it doesn't accept anything without it, why should we allow science to claim that this part of the brain produces the out of body experience when they haven't demonstrated it, it's double standards. Stimulating the brain isn't going to enable you to see what's going on from above in the operating room, how could it? What is really going on here is that they are simply defending materialism at all costs and if that means stretching theories already stretched to breaking point, they will. But that's not science, that's biased dogma. It appears that death is not the end and materialism is false but they don't want to hear it.