A study has discovered what happens to the brain after death. Research published by Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience suggests the brain may still be active and coordinated during and even after the transition to death.
“We measured 900 seconds of brain activity around the time of death and set a particular focus on investigating what happens in the 30 seconds before and after the heart stops beating,” said researcher and neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville, USA, Dr Ajmal Zemmar, quoted on Saturday (1/10/2022).
“Just before and after the heart stops working, we see changes in certain bands of neural oscillations, called gamma oscillations, as well as others like delta, theta, alpha, and beta.”
Brain oscillations or brain waves are named patterns of brain activity and usually occur when humans are alive. Various types, including gamma, involve cognitive functions such as concentration, dreaming, meditation, memory retrieval, information processing, and conscious perception.
“Through generating oscillations involved in brain memory retrieval may play a role in the final recall of important life events before we die, as reported in near-death experiences,” he explains.
This means that when humans die, the brain regulates and executes biological responses that can be sustained across species.
These measurements are based on a single case and from the brain of a patient who suffered from injuries, seizures and swelling which complicates interpretation of the data. Zemmar has plans to investigate more cases and sees the results as a source of hope.
“Something we can learn from this research is that even if our loved ones close their eyes and they are ready to leave us, the brain may replay some of the best moments they experienced in their lives.”