First dying brain recording shows people 'replay' best memories in final moments
23.02.2022 - 14:31
/ dailyrecord.co.uk
One of the first ever recordings of a dying brain shows that people can “replay” the best moments in their life before passing, according to a new study.
Scientists explored an area that “is not well understood” in humans and only previously carried out on animals before they die.
The study published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience measured brain activity in a man with epilepsy as he was hooked to an electroencephalogram (EEG) when he passed away.
In the 15-minute period before the 87-year-old's death, there was an increase in gamma-band activity in the brain, 30 seconds either side of him dying.
Scientists found that "the brain may be playing a last recall of important life events" - and the findings could bring comfort to families who have lost a loved one.
The report suggested that this period before death could be a peaceful, relaxed state where the brain is shutting down, allowing people to sift through memories.
The state of the brain while passing is also is something that has also been put forward by those who have suffered a near-death experience.
The report stated: “The human brain may possess the capability to generate coordinated activity during the near-death period.”
Dr Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of LouisvilleZemmar, who organised the study, said: "Through generating oscillations involved in memory retrieval, the brain may be playing a last recall of important life events just before we die, similar to the ones reported in near-death experiences.
"These findings challenge our understanding of when exactly life ends and generate important subsequent questions, such as those related to the timing of organ donation."
A press release stated: “Imagine reliving your entire life in the space