Is There Neuroscientific Evidence of Burst of Lucidity in Dying People?
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Abstract
Reports of dying individuals exhibiting brief episodes of unexpected clarity, known as terminal lucidity or end-of-life rallies, have intrigued physicians, caregivers, and families for centuries. These moments, when people with advanced dementia, neurological decline, or prolonged unresponsiveness suddenly regain coherent speech, recognition, or purposeful behavior, raise profound questions about the brain at the threshold of death. Neuroscientific investigations into this phenomenon remain limited but increasingly suggest plausible mechanisms. Emerging evidence points to surges of neural activity, altered neurotransmitter dynamics, and cortical disinhibition during the dying process. Studies of near-death experiences, electroencephalographic recordings in humans, and experimental work in animals all reveal transient bursts of organized brain activity in the minutes surrounding cardiac arrest. While definitive proof is elusive, these findings indicate that lucidity in dying people may not be purely anecdotal but rather linked to measurable neurobiological processes. Understanding this mystery could illuminate consciousness itself and reshape perspectives on dying.
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Burst of Lucidity, Dying Period, Neuroscientific Evidence, Cognition, Consciousness
No funding source declared.
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