Human brain activity in the last moment before death has been follow for the first fourth dimension , revealing rhythmic natural process comparable to those ascertain during dreaming . The observation could support reports fromnear - dying experiencesof life sentence flashing before your eyes in what ’s known as “ life recall ” .
The find came about during the management of an 87 - year - quondam man ’s epilepsy under the care of Dr Raul Vicente at the University of Tartu , Estonia . Here , he was unceasingly monitored with electroencephalography ( EEG ) , which serve the Dr. to observe and manage seizures as they take place .
unluckily , the world ’s health deteriorated and they later had a heart blast and buy the farm during the EEG ’s recordings . The unexpected incident left Vincente ’s squad with a record of human encephalon activity before and after death for the first sentence , the results of which were published in the journalFrontiers in Aging Neuroscience .
“ We appraise 900 minute of mental capacity body process around the time of death and lay out a specific nidus to enquire what happened in the 30 second before and after the meat stop outfox , ” say neurosurgeon and study lede Dr Ajmal Zemmar of the University of Louisville , US , in astatement .
analysis of the recording let on changes in brain moving ridge before and after the eye stopped beating , including specific types of waves associated with higher cognitive function . It show the sorts of wave that get lead while dream , recalling computer storage , and processing information appear to complain in during the brain ’s final moments .
“ Through generating oscillations ask in computer memory retrieval , the brain may be playing a last recall of authoritative life-time effect just before we conk out , interchangeable to the ones reported in near - expiry experiences , ” suggest Zemmar .
Curiously , because the activity continue even after the heart had cease to dumbfound , Zemmar says the finding present fresh questions about biography and death .
“ These findings challenge our understanding of when incisively lifespan end and mother important subsequent questions , such as those connect to the timing of organ donation . ”
The study is n’t without its limitation , being centered around a single case study in which the person had known mind function irregularities due to epilepsy , but progress on research that found similar before - and - after cardiac deathbrain wave changes in scab .
It ’s possible , then , that “ life recall ” in the nous ’s final moments could be a biologic response seen across metal money , but reaching firm conclusions take further enquiry .
For now , Zemmar hopes the observation might bring some comfort to those who must say goodbye .
“ As a neurosurgeon , I distribute with loss at clip . It is indescribably difficult to deliver the word of death to distraught fellowship fellow member , ” he said .
“ Something we may learn from this research is : although our screw 1 have their eyes closed and are quick to exit us to remain , their brains may be replay some of the nicest moments they experience in their lives . ”
