Brain scan captures end of life

The first brain scan of a dying man has given scientists a rare insight into what happens during the final ­moments of life.

Scientists have been given a unique insight into the moment of death.

The first brain scan of a dying man has given scientists a rare insight into what happens during the final ­moments of life.

The 87-year-old epilepsy ­patient had a fatal heart attack while he was connected to an electroencephalogram, which monitors brain activity.

An analysis of the 30 seconds before and after the patient’s heart stopped suggested that he experienced an increase in the brainwaves associated with ­activities such as dreaming, concentration and recall.

The findings raise the tantalising prospect that the man ­experienced a “recall of life” in his final moments, the team ­behind the study, which ­appeared in the journal Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience, said.

Scientists have been quick to urge caution, emphasising that the findings from one person are not evidence of a wider trend and more research would be needed to offer conclusive findings.

Ajmal Zemmar, a neurosurgeon at the University of Louisville who led the study, said the findings were ­astonishing.

“What do we see purely on the scientific results? We see that just before death the brain executes similar brainwave patterns as to when we recall memories and dream and focus and meditate,” he said.

Dr Zemmar, who said the findings of one patient did not offer proof of what is popularly known as “life flashing before our eyes”, added that in the “metaphysical and philosophical space”, there is more room for speculation.

“I think it is very likely to say these brainwaves let us dream again just before we die and basically have a recall of life in the span of 15 seconds or so just ­before we say goodbye,” he said.

The Times