Neurophenomenology of near-death experience memory in hypnotic recall: a within-subject EEG study

• Published in: Scientific reports Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 14047 - 11
• Main Authors: Martial, Charlotte, Mensen, Armand, Charland-Verville, Vanessa, Vanhaudenhuyse, Audrey, Rentmeister, Daniel, Bahri, Mohamed Ali, Cassol, Héléna, Englebert, Jérôme, Gosseries, Olivia, Laureys, Steven, Faymonville, Marie-Elisabeth
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.10.2019; Nature Publishing Group; Nature Portfolio
• Subjects: 631/378/2649/1398; 631/378/2649/1723; Adult; Brain - physiology; Consciousness; Death; EEG; Electroencephalography; Female; Humanities and Social Sciences; Humans; Hypnosis; Male; Memory, Episodic; Mental Recall - physiology; Middle Aged; multidisciplinary; Science; Science (multidisciplinary)
• ISSN: 2045-2322; 2045-2322
• DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-50601-6

The neurobiological basis of near-death experiences (NDEs) is unknown, but a few studies attempted to investigate it by reproducing in laboratory settings phenomenological experiences that seem to closely resemble NDEs. So far, no study has induced NDE-like features via hypnotic modulation while simultaneously measuring changes in brain activity using high-density EEG. Five volunteers who previously had experienced a pleasant NDE were invited to re-experience the NDE memory and another pleasant autobiographical memory (dating to the same time period), in normal consciousness and with hypnosis. We compared the hypnosis-induced subjective experience with the one of the genuine experience memory. Continuous high-density EEG was recorded throughout. At a phenomenological level, we succeeded in recreating NDE-like features without any adverse effects. Absorption and dissociation levels were reported as higher during all hypnosis conditions as compared to normal consciousness conditions, suggesting that our hypnosis-based protocol increased the felt subjective experience in the recall of both memories. The recall of a NDE phenomenology was related to an increase of alpha activity in frontal and posterior regions. This study provides a proof-of-concept methodology for studying the phenomenon, enabling to prospectively explore the NDE-like features and associated EEG changes in controlled settings.