Abstract
Prior hypotheses as to the etiology of near-death experiences (NDEs) have been limited to psychiatric explanations or brief discussions of endorphins as causative agents. We present a neurophysiological explanation for NDEs based on their similarities with lysergic acid-, ketamine-, and hypercapnia-induced hallucinations. We believe the core NDE is genetically imprinted and triggered by serotonergic mechanisms.
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Morse, M.L., Venecia, D. & Milstein, J. Near-death experiences: A neurophysiologic explanatory model. J Near-Death Stud 8, 45–53 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076138
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01076138