In a study led by NYU Grossman School of Medicine, along with 25 hospitals in the US and the UK, patients who had been revived after their hearts stopped shared accounts of experiencing death.
Published in the Resuscitation journal by Elsevier, this report challenges conventional understanding of life after death.New York Post citing NYU study reported that some people who survived a heart stoppage described having clear experiences of being near death even when it seemed like they were unconscious.
Despite getting help quickly, fewer than 10% of the 567 patients who had CPR in the hospital got well enough to leave.
But interestingly, four out of every ten survivors remembered some moments when they were aware during CPR, even though regular tests couldn't show this.Sam Parnia, an associate professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health and the lead author of this study, emphasized, "There are signs of normal and near-normal brain activity found up to an hour into resuscitation." He went on to clarify that these experiences are distinct from dreams or delusions.The research challenges the conventional wisdom that the brain shuts down after 10 minutes of cardiac arrest.
"Our brain is very robust and is more resilient to oxygen deprivation than expected," stated Parnia.
This newfound understanding of the brain's durability during resuscitation could revolutionize the field of resuscitation medicine.Among the 53 surviving patients in the study, nearly 40% reported having memories or conscious thoughts during their near-death experiences.
Importantly, their EEG readings showed spikes in brain waves associated with higher mental function.Parnia explained that when people go through near-death experiences, they often have a common storyline.
During these moments, they become more aware, and everything around them becomes sharper and more vivid.Many of these patients also mentioned that they saw their whole lives play out before their eyes, like stories they'd heard in books and movies.
Parnia pointed out that this life review isn't in order, like flipping through a photo album.
Instead, it's like a deep examination of how they've treated others in their lives, what really matters.Another thing many people experienced was a sense of going to a place that felt incredibly familiar, like going back home.
Somewhere that they feel they recognize, and are going back to.
They continue on the rest of this journey to a place that they feel is like home, Parnia told New York Post.Parnia thinks that when the patient is not having a near-death experience, the brain has a kind of brake system that stops us from accessing all our thoughts and feelings.
However, during a cardiac arrest, as a way to protect itself, the brain releases these brakes.
That's why people can suddenly access their whole consciousness, emotions, thoughts, and memories during these moments.People who had a heart stoppage and were saved by CPR shared their memories to to the New York Post as they were very close to dying.One patient shared, "I remember seeing my dad."Another recalled, "I caught glimpses of my life and felt pride, love, joy, and sadness, all pouring into me."The hird survivor described, "I do remember a being of light standing near me.
It was looming over me like a great tower of strength, yet radiating only warmth and love."Parnia noted that the research conducted at NYU Langone Health and other centers represents a significant breakthrough in the field of resuscitation.
Survival rates following cardiac arrest have remained dishearteningly low for decades, largely due to limited advancements in resuscitation technologies.He hope that this research will pave the way for a deeper understanding of what truly happens during and after death.The study neither proves nor disproves the reality or significance of these near-death experiences.
However, it does emphasize the need for further investigation into the experiences and claims of awareness surrounding death.
Future studies will aim to define biomarkers of clinical consciousness and monitor the long-term psychological effects of resuscitation after cardiac arrest.