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From: dcohen@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU ( )
Newsgroups: sci.med,sci.misc
Subject: Re: NDE's in childhood
Message-ID: <6931@topaz.RUTGERS.EDU>
Date: Mon, 10-Nov-86 14:01:44 EST
Article-I.D.: topaz.6931
Posted: Mon Nov 10 14:01:44 1986
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Nov-86 21:35:15 EST
References: <2303@bucse.bu-cs.BU.EDU>
Organization: Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, N.J.
Lines: 42
Summary: I'm curious about the phenomenon mentioned in the article, and I'd like people's opinion about the usefulness of it.
Xref: mnetor sci.med:219 sci.misc:83

In article <2303@bucse.bu-cs.BU.EDU>, gasp@bu-cs.BU.EDU (Isaac Kohane) writes:
> From: AJDC Vol.140 p 1110 (Nov. 86)

> The article also goes into some detail as to a possible pathophysiology
> for NDE's. "Within the temporal lobe there are neuronal connections that,
> when electrically stimulated, produce the sensation of being outside the
> physical body. For example, a 33 year old man suffered from temporal lobe
> seizures that produced hallucinations of seeing himself. On electrical
> stimulation within the fissure of Sylvius [adjacent to the temporal lobe]
> the patient exclaimed `Oh God, I am leaving my body.'... The area of the
> temporal lobe is connected by serotoninergic neurons to the midbrain raphe.
> Psychological stress and psychoactive drugs such as LSD and ketamine have
> a neurochemical effect in the latter part of the brain that is mediated by
> serotonin. We speculate that hypercapnia or hypoxia could also trigger
> NDE-like experiences through direct activation of the temporal lobe
> or indirectly through an effect in the midbrain [they refer to a figure
> that diagrams midbrain temporal lobe connections]. We present this model
> as a first neurophysiological attempt to analyze NDEs."

   This is probably the most sensible explanation of NDE's I've seen
yet.  The only thing that puzzles me about it is that I can't think of
a good evolutionary advantage to having this neuronal structure
around.  Why should it be useful to devote a chunk of brain circuitry
to creating hallucinations of leaving the body?

   Please don't answer that not every natural phenomenon has
evolutionary advantages!  Most of 'em do, and besides it would
probably be a DISadvantage to keep around brain tissue not meant to
be used at some point or other.









-- 

Have Fun!

--Dawn (dcohen@topaz.rutgers.edu)