Jakarta –
What actually happens in the human brain when a near-dead person returns to ‘consciousness’?
A new study of cardiac arrest victims shows nearly 40 percent of patients undergoing CPR had memories, dream-like experiences, or some kind of perception even while they were unconscious. What’s more, the brain waves showed signs of activity indicating consciousness, sometimes for up to an hour when they were turned back on.
“There’s nothing more extreme than cardiac arrest because they’re literally teetering between life and death, they’re in a coma and they don’t respond to us physically at all,” said lead study author Dr. Sam Parnia of the department of medicine at NYU Langone Health.
“What we can show is that up to 40 percent of people actually have the perception that they are conscious to some extent,” he continued.
In the first study published Thursday in the journal Resuscitation, Parnia and colleagues in the US and UK monitored 567 people undergoing cardiac arrest resuscitation at 25 hospitals. Less than 10 percent of patients survive, because cardiac arrest is often fatal, even when doctors are ready to perform CPR. Researchers were able to interview 28 of the 53 survivors.
Eleven of them reported having memories or perceptions indicating at least some awareness during resuscitation. The researchers also measured brain oxygen and electrical activity in some patients and found gamma, delta, theta, alpha and beta waves indicating some mental function during CPR.
Some patients recalled aspects of medical care, such as pain, pressure, or the doctor’s hearing. Others recalled dreamlike sensations, such as being chased by police or being caught in the rain.
Some of them had positive memories, such as seeing lights, tunnels or family members, or felt strong emotions, such as love, calm and peace. However, others feel separated from their bodies and realize that they have died or experience delusions about monsters or faceless figures.
(knock/naf)
2023-09-19 03:00:54
#Study #Reveals #Brains #Cardiac #Arrest #Patients #Sakaratul #Maut
