Near Death Experiences - Residual Brain Activity or Something More?

[jimmydasaint]

Reading about accounts of Near Death Experiences it is difficult to be rational and scientific about the anecdotes of what people claim to have experienced. For example, this account is quite interesting and apparently occurred when brain activity was at a 'standstill':

 

Dr. Michael Sabom is a cardiologist whose latest book, Light and Death, includes a detailed medical and scientific analysis of an amazing near-death experience of a woman named Pam Reynolds. She underwent a rare operation to remove a giant basilar artery aneurysm in her brain that threatened her life. The size and location of the aneurysm, however, precluded its safe removal using the standard neuro-surgical techniques. She was referred to a doctor who had pioneered a daring surgical procedure known as hypothermic cardiac arrest. It allowed Pam's aneurysm to be excised with a reasonable chance of success. This operation, nicknamed "standstill" by the doctors who perform it, required that Pam's body temperature be lowered to 60 degrees, her heartbeat and breathing stopped, her brain waves flattened, and the blood drained from her head. In everyday terms, she was put to death. After removing the aneurysm, she was restored to life. During the time that Pam was in standstill, she experienced a NDE. Her remarkably detailed veridical out-of-body observations during her surgery were later verified to be very accurate. This case is considered to be one of the strongest cases of veridical evidence in NDE research because of her ability to describe the unique surgical instruments and procedures used and her ability to describe in detail these events while she was clinically and brain dead.

 

http://www.near-death.com/experiences/evidence01.html

 

Is this evidence for a soul? However, I want to hear other views about it and also for suggestions about experiments that can be performed to provide evidence for NDE's.

[blazarwolf]

"unique surgical instruments and procedures used and her ability to describe in detail these events while she was clinically and brain dead."

 

The brain does funny things, I once read a article by a nuerologist attempting to explain the light at the end of the tunnel... It made some sense.

 

She may have rememberd in any number of fashions, people that are out... Really arent so out...

 

Theres the story of the paramedics that ran a cardiac arrest on this guy, he was unconsious there whole dealing with him... then at the hospital later... he knows all there names (the ears shut off last).

 

I tend to consider these a type of "super dream state" Sensory functions are very inhibited but theres still something there... Things are picked up, and then the blanks are filled in by the brain...

 

Somewhat Analogus to which a trait I inherited from my father... I can talk in my sleep, not just talk, but respond to questions.... I learned of this from other people, as to which i dont often remember... I did once, what people were saying just came to me in a dream form, just as any other dream.

 

 

The best NDE expirements would be very risky....

 

As for the brain activity.... How sensitive is there equipment? How many individual nuerons (detecting MV charges through a pot roast!) have to fire to cause memory/elements of consioness?