What happens to the brain at death? Brain Institute scientists studied the question, observing the brain activity of multiple patients during prolonged oxygen deprivation. Their results, published in Neurobiology of disease And broadcast by Futura Science, highlights a certain wave, called the “death wave”.
The latter, beginning in the deeper layers of the cortex, occurs when the brain’s oxygen deprivation plunges the cerebral cortex into electrical silence. In short, it is a burst of activity, which surges through the mantle like a wave. Contrary to what its name suggests, this wave is not a sign of certain death. If the brain is reoxygenated in time, it is possible that the patient will gradually recover his brain functions, thanks to the “resuscitation wave”.
A near death experience
According to the researchers, therefore, neuronal death does not correspond to a specific moment and a specific event, but it manifests itself through a gradual and potentially reversible process. Their study highlights the essential role of pyramidal neurons in layer 5 of the neocortex, whose depolarization is thought to initiate the death wave.
These discoveries could ultimately transform resuscitation practice during cardiorespiratory arrest, for example, by envisioning more targeted interventions to preserve essential brain functions. enough to greatly reduce the risks of neurological after-effects. This study also constitutes a valuable document for those closely interested in patients describing near-death experiences, potentially associated with this famous death wave.
