For many years, scientists and ordinary people have been curious about what happens in the brain just before death. A new study has tried to answer this mystery and offers new insights into the final moments of human life.

The study, titled "Enhanced Interplay of Neuronal Coherence and Coupling in the Dying Human Brain," was published in the Frontiers in Ageing Neuroscience journal. It recorded brain activity during and after the transition to death. The findings suggest that the brain may replay important life events just before a person dies, similar to the experience of seeing life flash before one’s eyes.

What did the study find?

Dr. Ajmal Zemmar from the University of Louisville, Kentucky, who was involved in the research, explained that the brain generates brain waves linked to memory recall in its final moments.

"Through generating brain oscillations [brain waves] 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," said Dr. Zemmar.

This discovery was made while doctors were treating an 87-year-old patient suffering from epilepsy. The patient experienced a cardiac arrest while a device on his head recorded his brain activity. The device captured 900 seconds of brain activity, allowing researchers to study what happened in the 30 seconds before and after his heart stopped beating.

Changes in brain activity

Scientists noticed changes in certain brain waves, including gamma, delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves. These are electrical signals in the brain that play different roles in how our brain works. Gamma waves, for example, are linked to remembering things and thinking deeply.

The study suggests that the brain might still work for a little while after the heart stops, which makes us rethink what we mean by death.

What does this mean for the future?

This research questions what we know about when life truly ends and could affect decisions about when to donate organs.

"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," Dr. Zemmar said.

Although the study was published in 2022, it has recently started to get more attention. This has led to discussions about what happens in the last moments of life. Scientists hope this research will help us understand what occurs after death and improve medical knowledge about it. 

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