Does the arousal system contribute to near death experience?

People who have had a near-death experience (NDE) are more likely to have previously experienced REM sleep intrusion—such as sleep paralysis or sleep-related hallucinations—than those who have not. This supports the hypothesis that REM intrusion, which can occur during wakefulness, contributes to the subjective aspects of NDEs. In a study of 55 individuals with NDEs and matched controls, sleep paralysis and visual or auditory hallucinations during sleep were substantially more common in the NDE group. The findings suggest that under life-threatening circumstances, an NDE is more likely in those predisposed to REM intrusion, possibly involving suppression of the locus ceruleus.

Study at a glance

Abstract

The neurophysiologic basis of near death experience (NDE) is unknown. Clinical observations suggest that REM state intrusion contributes to NDE. Support for the hypothesis follows five lines of evidence: REM intrusion during wakefulness is a frequent normal occurrence, REM intrusion underlies other clinical conditions, NDE elements can be explained by REM intrusion, cardiorespiratory afferents evoke REM intrusion, and persons with an NDE may have an arousal system predisposing to REM intrusion. To investigate a predisposition to REM intrusion, the life-time prevalence of REM intrusion was studied in 55 NDE subjects and compared with that in age/gender-matched control subjects. Sleep paralysis as well as sleep-related visual and auditory hallucinations were substantially more common in subjects with an NDE. These findings anticipate that under circumstances of peril, an NDE is more likely in those with previous REM intrusion. REM intrusion could promote subjective aspects of NDE and often associated syncope. Suppression of an activated locus ceruleus could be central to an arousal system predisposed to REM intrusion and NDE.