For centuries, humanity has wondered: what happens inside the brain at the very moment of death? A groundbreaking study, published in 2022 in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, has offered a first glimpse into this ultimate mystery.
For the first time ever, scientists continuously recorded the brain activity of a dying human patient, who suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after a traumatic brain injury. The 900-second EEG revealed something astonishing: rather than shutting down instantly, the brain displayed a sudden surge of gamma activity—brainwaves often linked to memory recall, consciousness, and dreaming.
A final electrical symphony
As the heart stopped, researchers observed a complex coordination of brain activity: alpha and theta waves continued to modulate gamma oscillations, suggesting that even without oxygen supply, the brain might preserve some synchronized patterns of activity.
Similar surges had previously been documented in rodents, but this marks the first direct evidence in humans, outside an experimental setting.
Explaining near-death experiences?
This burst of gamma activity may provide a scientific explanation for near-death experiences (NDEs), frequently described as tunnels of light, feelings of peace, or a rapid replay of life events. According to lead author Dr. Ajmal Zemmar, “the brain may be capable of reliving important life moments in its final seconds.”
Medical and ethical questions
Beyond the fascination, the study also raises profound medical and ethical issues. If coordinated brain activity persists for several seconds after the heart has stopped, at what precise point should death be declared? The findings may carry implications for practices such as organ donation.
A rare window into the unknown
The research is based on a single patient, and further studies are needed. Still, it offers a rare and moving window into one of life’s deepest mysteries.
As Dr. Zemmar concludes:
“These findings remind us that even in its final moments, the human brain remains deeply enigmatic.”
