New research shows that life may indeed flash before your eyes seconds before death. According to a study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience on Tuesday, the brainwaves of an 87-year-old man suffering from a fatal heart attack showed a pattern similar to that of dreaming or recalling memories.
The scientific study entitled "Enhanced Interplay of Neuronal Coherence and Coupling in the Dying Human Brain" presented the continuous electroencephalography (EEG) recording of the man's brain. The EEG showed an increase in gamma activity in the narrow and broad bands of the said dying human brain. At the same time, a decrease in theta power was evident after the bilateral hemispheric responses were suppressed.
Brain activity recorded by accident
This neurological activity of a dying brain was actually recorded by accident. Dr. Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon and co-author of the study, told the BBC that this was the first time researchers recorded the signals and activity of a dying brain. The scientists conducted the continuous EEG to detect epilepsy and seizures and treat the patient. However, during the EEG, the 87-year-old man suddenly experienced a cardiac arrest and died. Thus, the unexpected incident led to the first-ever recording of a human brain.
Dr. Zemmar saw changes in the gamma brain waves and other brainwaves just before and after the heart stopped working. These patterns of rhythmic brain activity are involved in high-cognitive functions such as dreaming, meditation, memory retrieval, concentrating, and conscious perceptions, among others. According to the neurosurgeon, these brain activities were present thirty seconds before the heart stopped supplying and even continued thirty seconds after the patient's heart had already stopped beating. Usually, it is at this point that a patient is declared dead.
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It also happens in rats
Due to the generation of brainwaves involved in memory retrieval, it is a speculation that the brain may be recalling important life events just seconds before death that is similar to reports of people's near-death experiences. Although this is the first study that recorded live brain activity as it transitions to end, similar changes in the gamma brainwaves have been observed among rats kept in controlled scientific environments. This means that there might be a similar biological response in the dying brain across different species.
The so-called "important memories" may be different per person as what is memorable for one person is not the same. Loss and death are complex events; however, this life-recall seconds before death and what happens inside the brain may have puzzled neuroscientists for a long time. However, with these new findings, researchers hope that this will open more doors for more studies related to the final moments of life.
Dr. Zemmar also said that it is challenging to deliver the news of a patient's death to their family. However, he adds that although loved ones are already ready to leave, their brains may give them flashbacks of some of the loveliest memories they have experienced in their lives.
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