Read an article on PhysOrg.com about a study done in Slovenia about NDE's and the reason people report seeing lights and so forth. They're answer, carbon dioxide, or at least the study done suggests that. I wonder if the body, or brain can somehow have the body more comfortable or at ease when it appears to be dying. It would be interesting to see what further studies find and if an explanation is found what the impact will be say upon society in terms of spirituality and so forth.
Near-death experiences (NDEs) are reported by between 11 and 23 percent of survivors of heart attacks, according to previous research.
But what causes NDEs is strongly debated. Some pin the mechanisms on physical or psychological reasons, while others see a transcendental force.
Researchers in Slovenia, reporting on Thursday in a peer-reviewed journal, Critical Care, investigated 52 consecutive cases of heart attacks in three large hospitals.
The patients' average age was 53 years. Forty-two of them were men.
Eleven patients had NDEs, but there was no common link between these cases in terms of age, sex, level of education, religious belief, fear of death, time to recovery or the drugs that were administered to resuscitate them.
Instead, a common association was high levels of CO2 in the blood and, to a lesser degree, of potassium.
Further work is needed to confirm the findings among a larger sample of patients, say the authors, led by Zalika Klemenc-Ketis of the University of Maribor.
Having an NDE can be a life-changing experience, so understanding its causes is important for heart-attack survivors, they say.
When I hear stories about people having pleasant and profound near death experiences, it leaves me wondering how it is possible that natural selection could cause humans to evolve that way. I mean, by definition, it happens when you're dying. If you're dying, then I would bet that having a good time doing so would not affect your fitness in any way. Could be random chance, but that seems very unlikely.
On April 08 2010 14:19 Seraphz wrote: When I hear stories about people having pleasant and profound near death experiences, it leaves me wondering how it is possible that natural selection could cause humans to evolve that way. I mean, by definition, it happens when you're dying. If you're dying, then I would bet that having a good time doing so would not affect your fitness in any way. Could be random chance, but that seems very unlikely.
It is of less importance to survival of the human race in its current form, but it might be an inherited trait from other species. The way an animal behaves when dieing can be vital to the survival of those nearest to it. Those nearest to it share many genetic traits. Ants (of certain species) leave their nest to die out in the cold when they are ill. A form of risk management likely brought forth by evolution. How does the ant know that it should be outside? Ants are thought to behave on instinct / mechanics mainly so their tiny brain must convince the consciousness that outside is a better place for it to be than inside, in the case of certain illnesses.
There are parasites that change the behavior of their host to increase the chance of reprocreation. Examples include ants being moved to sleep on the top tips of grass, and even humans can be affected. Certain parasitic worms in humans make humans feel hot on the skin where it is about to leave, so that the human would find a body of water to cool down in. The worm lives otherwise in the water and will then find its escape. The human doesn't act on knowledge of the parasite, (s)he isn't aware of it. For the same, how do you explain the ant's behavior? I highly doubt that parasites could actually control body parts. Controlling emotions is a lot easier since that is a matter of producing the right molecules and blood will bring it around.
Animals dieing around their offspring are best off to not traumatize or otherwise endanger their offspring while doing so. If the mind can induce a state of peacefulness it might be easier to end the emotional bond from descendant's perspective as they witness death.
Anyway, that's all just an idea. It could also be a coincidental fireworks show of electrical and chemical signals that for some lucky ones produce awesome effects.
The brain releases Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) when it thinks you're about to die. It is the most intense hallucinogen in existence, is present in all living things, and is the same chemical released when you are in deep sleep.
It has been called the "Spirit Molecule" by a Doctor expert on it. People who take doses of DMT report being transported to another world (they don't feel high at all, they just are in a different dimension/world). Crazy stuff.
On April 08 2010 20:42 snotboogie wrote: The brain releases Dimethyltryptamine (DMT) when it thinks you're about to die. It is the most intense hallucinogen in existence, is present in all living things, and is the same chemical released when you are in deep sleep.
It has been called the "Spirit Molecule" by a Doctor expert on it. People who take doses of DMT report being transported to another world (they don't feel high at all, they just are in a different dimension/world). Crazy stuff.
You present this as factual, but to my knowledge it is not well established at all (though the possibility is very interesting).
Further, the article suggests correlation between CO2 levels and NDEs, but does not propose a mechanism or suggest causation in any way. (Thus, this doesn't really conflict with any DMT ideas)
EPT
