Near-death Experiences’ main features: a retrospective exploration.
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1
University of Liège, Neurology, Belgium
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2
IANDS France- International Association For Near Death Studies, Oraison, France, France
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3
Department of Psychology: Cognition and Behavior, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium, Belgium
Background: Near-death Experiences (NDEs) have been the focus of considerable scientific research over the past two decades. These experiences are now described as a clearly identifiable physiological and psychological reality of clinical significance. Method: We used the Greyson’s NDE scale [1] to retrospectively conduct a structured interview with 60 individuals who have experienced a NDE (29 male; mean age at the time of NDE: 31 years, SD = 15, Range = 6-69; time since NDE: 19 years, SD = 13, Range = 7 weeks-46 years; etiology: 11 trauma; 49 non-trauma). Results: According to the Greyson’s scale, the most experienced feature was the feeling of peace and well-being with 89% of the sample. This was followed by out-of-body experience (80%), altered time perception (74%), sense of harmony (70%), mystical and transcendental features (69%), seeing a bright light (61%), feeling of realness and mental clarity (49%) and life review (18%). Like observed in previous van Lommel’s [2] and Greyson’s [3] studies, positive feelings are experienced by the majority of patients while a life review is one of the least reported features. Conclusion: We showed that the characteristics of NDE described in the literature [2, 3] are reported by all of our patients. In order to go further in the study of such verbal reports, the science of NDEs should now rely on neuroimagery techniques in order to identify specific brain regions/networks that could account for these experiences.
[1] Greyson (1983) J Nerv Ment Dis 171(6): 369-75.
[2] vanLommel (2001) Lancet 358: 2039-45.
[3] Greyson (2003) Gen Hosp Psychiat 25(4): 269-76.
References
[1] Greyson (1983) J Nerv Ment Dis 171(6): 369-75.
[2] vanLommel (2001) Lancet 358: 2039-45.
[3] Greyson (2003) Gen Hosp Psychiat 25(4): 269-76.
Keywords:
Near-death ex,
Consciousness,
Feature Selection,
Coma,
Neuroimaging
Conference:
Belgian Brain Council, Liège, Belgium, 27 Oct - 27 Oct, 2012.
Presentation Type:
Poster Presentation
Topic:
Other basic/clinical neurosciences topic
Citation:
Charland-Verville
V,
Jourdan
J,
Thonnard
M,
Bredart
S,
Laureys
S and
Vanhaudenhuyse
A
(2012). Near-death Experiences’ main features: a retrospective exploration..
Conference Abstract:
Belgian Brain Council.
doi: 10.3389/conf.fnhum.2012.210.00056
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Received:
31 Aug 2012;
Published Online:
12 Sep 2012.
*
Correspondence:
Miss. Audrey Vanhaudenhuyse, University of Liège, Neurology, Liège, 4000, Belgium, avanhaudenhuyse@ulg.ac.be