Near-Death Experience, Consciousness, and the Brain: A New Concept about the Continuity of Our Consciousness Based on Recent Scientific Research on Near-Death Experience in Survivors of Cardiac Arrest

Reflection on Palliative Sedation for Existential Distress. It is Possible to Tolerate the Incomprehensible?

“…For example, immediate distortion of body size with local anesthesia has been linked to loss of input from small-diameter ibers [27]. Findings in cardiac arrest survivors suggest that central hypercapnia and peripheral hypoxia, secondary to cerebral ischemia, cause a cortical hyper-activation that helps to explain the phenomenon of increased awareness in these patients in the absence of cerebral activity [28]. On the other hand, the cerebral ischemia is responsible for metabolic alterations also involved in nociceptive synaptic transmission, such as the inhibition of the production of nitric oxide, a free radical that regulates the cerebral phenomena of apoptosis.…”

Near-Death Experiences and the Possibility of Disembodied Consciousness: Challenges to Prevailing Neurobiological and Psychosocial Theories

“…A significant number of participants in this study reported seeing fragmented visual images, bright lights, and visions of tunnels, as well as experienced sensations of floating and various other pleasurable sensations, similar to what NDErs report. However, other researchers pointed out that none of the participants in Whinnery's study reported experiencing a life review, OBEs, seeing non-physical beings, having a conversation with a being of light, along with reporting significant changes in spiritual or life values, which are all commonly reported by NDErs (Greyson, 2009;Parnia et al, 2007;van Lommel et al, 2001).…”

“…For example, Ring found that a substantial number of NDErs report experiences that contradict their religious beliefs and prior personal expectations regarding the nature of death. Furthermore, several other researchers have found that individuals who have no prior knowledge of NDEs report the same phenomenon as individuals who are familiar with NDEs prior to their NDE experience (Greyson, 2007;Moody, 1975;Ring, 1980;Sabom, 1982;van Lommel et al, 2001).…”

“…In brief, hypoxia occurs when the whole body is deprived of oxygen, while anoxia is an extreme form of hypoxia that occurs with oxygen deprivation (van Lommel et al, 2001). In a study with fighter pilots, Whinnery suggested he was able to induce NDE-like experiences by creating brief periods of unconsciousness through rapid acceleration, which created an induced state of hypoxia.…”

Moving Beyond Materialism: Can Transpersonal Psychology Contribute to Cultural Transformation?

“…In this way, transpersonal psychology can contribute to a shift towards post-materialist perspectives. Most NDE researchers, parapsychologists, and psi researchers do not refrain from stating the metaphysical implications of their research (for example, Van Lommel, 2006;Sartori, 2014;Radin, 2009;Sheldrake, 2012), and there is no reason why transpersonal psychologists should do so either. For transpersonal psychology, this would also mean embracing such fields as parapsychology and near-death studies as natural bedfellows, rather than excluding them on the grounds that a scientific field should have no dealings with supernatural or transcendent experiences (Friedman, 2013).…”