Speak, he hears everything. Unusual properties of the brains of the dead have been revealed.
When someone close to you passes away, finding farewell words can be a challenge. However, scientists argue that it is worth it because there is growing evidence that even when other organs stop functioning, the brain can continue to record sounds for some time.
An article on the Scientific Reports portal highlights previous reports of near-death experiences of patients undergoing clinical death.
These individuals recalled hearing steps, sounds, and even speech while in an unconscious state after cardiac arrest. Ventilator data also documented similar phenomena.
To address a gap in research, Canadian experts conducted an experiment to capture internal processes at such moments.
They compared the electrical activity of the brains of healthy individuals with those in a hospice at the end of their lives. Using electroencephalography, they observed dying patients’ responses to music.
The results showed that, even in critical conditions, patients responded to auditory stimuli until their last moments.
Psychologists at the University of British Columbia, who led the research, acknowledge uncertainty about whether dying individuals are aware of their surroundings or understand speech.
Other studies suggest that the brain can function for approximately 10 minutes after cardiac arrest, with cases of successful resuscitation even after longer periods, although individuals may remain unresponsive to their environment after clinical death.