Comments on "The ketamine model of the near-death experience: A central role for the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor".

Ketamine and ibogaine, both noncompetitive antagonists of the NMDA receptor, can induce experiences resembling near-death experiences (NDEs), but the character of these experiences differs markedly depending on the context of use—recreational versus operating room for ketamine, and hallucinatory versus initiatic ritual for ibogaine. In initiatic rituals, ibogaine can induce a superficial coma state. These observations raise the question of whether chemically-induced NDE-like experiences stem from the specific substance or from an actual comatose state.

Study at a glance

Abstract

Although ketamine can induce a state similar to a near-death experience (NDE), there is a striking difference between experiences induced by ketamine used in a recreational context and in an operating room. Ketamine is a noncompetitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, as is ibogaine, the main alkaloid of a shrub used in Central Africa to induce NDEs in a religious context. Ibogaine can also elicit different experiences when used in a hallucinatory context or in initiatic rituals, where a superficial state of coma is induced. These data raise the question of whether the chemically-induced NDE-like experience is related to the use of a particular kind of substance or to a genuine comatose state.