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Here is another example, from my own interest in near death literature.
Synopsis: Van Lommel did a prospective study of NDEs and published
results in <i>Lancet</i>. Michael Shermer wrote a column in <i>Scientific
American</i> suggesting that Van Lommel's results showed there is no
extra-corporeal "spirit" but that NDEs were all artifacts of the death
process.<br>
Actually, Shermer had totally distorted the <i>Lancet</i> article.
When Van Lommel wrote a reply/ correction . . . wait for it . . . <i>Scientific
American</i> refused to publish his reply. Deeply disturbing. We cannot
question the party line. <br>
In this wonderful world of the internet, Van Lommel was able to
publish his piece anyway, which I post below FYI. <br>
So, Michael and Frank, this very medium is already having a
positive effect on the lack of scientific dialog and promoting more
diversity, a healthy direction.<br>
<br>
<center><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" size="5" color="#3333cc"><b>A
Reply to Shermer</b></font></center>
<center><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" color="#3333cc" size="5"><b>Medical
Evidence for NDEs </b></font></center>
<center><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" color="#3333cc" size="5"><b>Pim
van Lommel </b></font></center>
<p>Article from Skeptical Investigations<br>
<font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" color="#000000" size="1"><i><b><a
href="http://www.skepticalinvestigations.org/whoswho/vanLommel.htm">http://www.skepticalinvestigations.org/whoswho/vanLommel.htm</a></b></i></font></p>
<p><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" size="1" color="#0000ff"><i><b>The
Background</b><br>
In his "Skeptic" column in Scientific American in March, 2003, Michael
Shermer cited a research study published in </i>The Lancet,<i>
a leading medical journal, by Pim van Lommel and colleagues. He
asserted this study "delivered a blow" to the idea that the mind and
the brain could separate. Yet the researchers argued the exact
opposite, and showed that conscious experience outside the body took
place during a period of clinical death when the brain was flatlined.
As Jay Ingram, of the</i> Canadian Discovery Channel,<i> commented:
"His use of this study to bolster his point is bogus. He could have
said, 'The authors think there's a mystery, but I choose to interpret
their findings differently'. But he didn't. I find that very
disappointing" (</i>Toronto Star,<i> March 16, 2003). Here, Pim van
Lommel sets out the evidence that Shermer misrepresented.</i></font></p>
<center><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" size="4" color="#0000ff"><b>A
Reply to Shermer</b></font></center>
<center><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" color="#0000ff" size="3"><b>Medical
Evidence for NDEs </b></font></center>
<center><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" color="#0000ff" size="2"><b>Dr.
Pim van Lommel </b></font></center>
<p><font face="Arial" color="#0000ff"><b>Only
recently someone showed me the "Skeptic" article* by Michael Shermer.
>From a well respected and, in my opinion, scientific journal like the <i>Scientific
American </i>I
always expect a well documented and scientific article, and I don’t
know how thoroughly peer-reviewed the article from Shermer was by the
editorial staff before publication. My reaction to this article by
Shermer is because I am the main author of the study published in <i>The
Lancet,
</i>December 2001, entitled: “Near-death experience in survivors of
cardiac arrest; a prospective study in the Netherlands”. About what he
writes about the conclusions from our study, as well as from the effect
of magnetic and electrical “stimulation” of the brain, forces me to
write this paper, because I disagree with his theories as well as with
his conclusions. <br>
<br>
We performed our prospective study in 344
survivors of cardiac arrest to study the frequency, the cause and the
content of near-death experience (NDE). A near-death experience is the
reported memory of all impressions during a special state of
consciousness, including specific elements such as out-of-body
experience, pleasant feelings, and seeing a tunnel, a light, deceased
relatives, or a life review. In our study 282 patients (82%) did not
have any memory of the period of unconsciousness, 62 patients (18%)
however reported a NDE with all the “classical” elements. Between the
two groups there was no difference in the duration of cardiac arrest or
unconsciousness, intubation, medication, fear of death before cardiac
arrest, gender, religion, education or foreknowledge about NDE. More
frequent NDE was reported at age younger than 60 years, more than one
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during hospital stay, and previous
NDE. Patients with memory defects after lengthy and complicated CPR
reported less frequent NDE. <br>
<br>
There
are several theories that should explain the cause and content of NDE.
The physiologic explanation: the NDE is experienced as a result of
anoxia in the brain, possibly also caused by release of endomorphines,
or NMDA receptor blockade. <br>
<br>
In our study all patients had a
cardiac arrest, they were clinically dead, unconscious, caused by
insufficient blood supply to the brain because of inadequate blood
circulation, breathing, or both. If in this situation CPR is not
started within 5-10 minutes, irreparable damage is done to the brain
and the patient will die. According to this theory, all patients in our
study should have had an NDE, they all were clinical dead due to anoxia
of the brain caused by inadequate blood circulation to the brain, but
only 18% reported NDE. <br>
<br>
The
psychological explanation: NDE is caused by fear of death. But in our
study only a very small percentage of patients said they had been
afraid the seconds preceding the cardiac arrest, it happened too
suddenly to realize what occurred to them. However, 18 % of the
patients reported NDE. And also the given medication made no
difference. <br>
<br>
We know that patients with cardiac arrest are
unconscious within seconds, but how do we know that the
electro-encephalogram (EEG) is flat-lined in those patients, and how
can we study this? <br>
<br>
Complete
cessation of cerebral circulation is found in cardiac arrest due to
ventricular fibrillation (VF) during threshold testing at implantation
of internal defibrillators. This complete cerebral ischaemic model can
be used to study the result of anoxia of the brain. <br>
<br>
In VF
complete cardiac arrest occurs, with complete cessation of cerebral
flow, and resulting in acute pancerebral anoxia. The Vmca, the middle
cerebral artery blood flow, which is a reliable trend monitor of the
cerebral blood flow, decreases to 0 cm/sec immediately after the
induction of VF (2). Through many studies in human, as well as in
animal models, cerebral function has been shown to be severely
compromised during cardiac arrest and electric activity in both
cerebral cortex and the deeper structures of the brain has been shown
to be absent after a very short period of time. Monitoring of the
electric activity of the cortex (EEG) has shown ischaemic changes
consisting of a decrease of fast high amplitude waves and an increase
of slow delta waves, and sometimes also an increase in amplitude of
theta activity, progressively and ultimately declining to
isoelectricity. More often initial slowing (attenuation) of the EEG
waves is the first sign of cerebral ischaemia. The first ischaemic
changes in the EEG are detected an average of 6.5 seconds after
circulatory arrest. With prolongation of the cerebral ischaemia always
a progress to an isoelectric (flat) line is monitored within 10 to 20
(mean 15) seconds from the onset of the cardiac arrest (3-6). <br>
<br>
In case of a prolonged cardiac arrest
of more than 37 seconds the EEG activity may not return for many
minutes to hours after cardiac arrest has been restored, depending of
the duration of cardiac arrest, in spite of the maintenance of adequate
blood pressure during the recovery phase. After defibrillation the
middle cerebral artery flow velocity recurred rapidly within 1-5
seconds regardless the arrest duration. However, the EEG recovery takes
more time, depending of the duration of cardiac arrest. EEG recovery
underestimates metabolic recovery of the brain, and cerebral oxygen
uptake may be depressed for a considerable time after restoration of
circulation because the initial overshoot on reperfusion (hyperoxia) is
followed by a significant decrease in cerebral blood flow. (7) <br>
<br>
Anoxia
causes loss of function of our cell systems. However, in anoxia of only
some minute’s duration this loss may be transient, in prolonged anoxia
cell death occurs with permanent functional loss. During an embolic
event a small clot obstructs the blood flow in a small vessel of the
cortex, resulting in anoxia of that part of the brain with loss of
electrical activity. This results in a functional loss of the cortex
like hemiplegia or aphasia. When the clot is resolved or broken down
within several minutes the lost cortical function is restored. This is
called a transient ischaemic attack (TIA). However, when the clot
obstructs the cerebral vessel for minutes to hours it will result in
neuronal cell death with a permanent loss of function of this part of
the brain, with persistent hemiplegia or aphasia, and the diagnosis of
cerebro vascular accident (CVA) is made. So transient anoxia results in
transient loss of functions. <br>
<br>
In
cardiac arrest global anoxia of the brain occurs within seconds. Timely
and adequate CPR reverses this functional loss of the brain because
definitive damage of the brain cells, resulting in cell death, has been
prevented. Long lasting anoxia, caused by cessation of blood flow to
the brain for more than 5-10 minutes, results in irreversable damage
and extensive cell death in the brain. This is called brain death, and
most patients will ultimately die. <br>
<br>
In acute myocardial
infarction the duration of cardiac arrest (VF) on the CCU is usually
60-120 seconds, on the cardiac ward 2-5 minutes, and in out-of-hospital
arrest it usually exceeds 5-10 minutes. Only during threshold testing
of internal defibrillators or during electro physiologic stimulation
studies will the duration of cardiac arrest hardly exceed 30-60
seconds. <br>
<br>
>From these
studies we know that in our prospective study of patients that have
been clinically dead (VF on the ECG) no electric activity of the cortex
of the brain (flat EEG) must have been possible, but also the abolition
of brain stem activity like the loss of the corneareflex, fixed dilated
pupils and the loss of the gag reflex is a clinical finding in those
patients. However, patients with an NDE can report a clear
consciousness, in which cognitive functioning, emotion, sense of
identity, and memory from early childhood was possible, as well as
perception from a position out and above their “dead” body. Because of
the sometimes reported and verifiable out-of -body experiences, like
the case of the dentures reported in our study, we know that the NDE
must happen during the period of unconsciousness, and not in the first
or last second of this period. <br>
<br>
So
we have to conclude that NDE in our study was experienced during a
transient functional loss of all functions of the cortex and of the
brainstem. It is important to mention that there is a well documented
report of a patient with constant registration of the EEG during
cerebral surgery for an gigantic cerebral aneurysm at the base of the
brain, operated with a body temperature between 10 and 15 degrees, she
was put on the heart-lung machine, with VF, with all blood drained from
her head, with a flat line EEG, with clicking devices in both ears,
with eyes taped shut, and this patient experienced an NDE with an
out-of-body experience, and all details she perceived and heard could
later be verified. (8) <br>
<br>
There is also a theory that
consciousness can be experienced independently from the normal
body-linked waking consciousness. The current concept in medical
science states that consciousness is the product of the brain. This
concept, however, has never been scientifically proven. Research on NDE
pushes us at the limits of our medical concepts of the range of human
consciousness and the relationship between consciousness and memories
with the brain. <br>
<br>
For
decades, extensive research has been done to localize memories inside
the brain, so far without success. In connection with the hypothesis
that consciousness and memories are stored inside the brain the
question also arises how a non-material activity such as concentrated
attention or thinking can correspond with a visible (material) reaction
in the form of a measurable electrical, magnetic and chemical activity
at a certain place in the brain. Different mental activities give rise
to changing patterns of activity in different parts of the brain. This
has been shown in neurophysiology through EEG, magneto-encephalogram
(MEG) and at present also through magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and
positron emission tomography (PET-scan). (9-11) Also an increase in
cerebral blood flow is observed during such a non-material activity
like thinking (12). It is also not well understood how it is to be
explained that in a sensory experiment following a physical sensation
the person involved in the test stated that he was aware (conscious) of
the sensation a few thousands of a second following the stimulation,
while the subject’s brain showed that neuronal adequacy wasn’t achieved
until after a full 500 msec. following the sensation. This experiment
has led to the so-called delay-and-antedating hypothesis (13). <br>
<br>
Most body cells, and especially all neurons,
show an electrical potential across cell membranes, formed by the
presence of a metabolic Na/K pump. Transportation of information along
neurons happens by means of action potentials, differences in membrane
potential caused by synaptic depolarisation (excitatory) and
hyperpolarisation (inhibitory). The sum total of changes along neurons
causes transient electric fields, and therefore also transient magnetic
fields, along the synchronously activated dendrites. Not the number of
neurons, the precise shape of the dendrites (dendritic tree), nor the
accurate position of synapses, neither the firing of individual neurons
is crucial, but the derivative, the fleeting electric and/or magnetic
fields generated along the dendrites. These should be shaped as
optimally as possible into short-lasting meaningful patterns,
constantly changing in four-dimensional shape and intensity
(self-organization), and constantly mutually interacting between all
neurons. This process can be considered as a biological quantum
coherence phenomenon. <br>
<br>
The
influence of external localized magnetic and electric fields on these
constant changing electric and/or magnetic fields during normal
function of the brain should now be mentioned. <br>
<br>
Neurophysiological
research is being performed using transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS), in the course of which a localized magnetic field (photons) is
produced. TMS can excite or inhibit different parts of the brain,
depending of the amount of energy given, allowing functional mapping of
cortical regions, and creation of transient functional lesions. It
allows assessing the function in focal brain regions on a millisecond
scale, and it can study the contribution of cortical networks to
specific cognitive functions. TMS is a non-invasive research tool to
study aspects of human brain physiology including motor function,
vision, language, and the pathophysiology of brain disorders as well as
mood disorders like depression, and it even may be useful for therapy.
In studies TMS can interfere with visual and motion perception, it
gives an interruption of cortical processing with an interval of 80-100
milliseconds. Intracortical inhibition and facilitation are obtained by
paired-pulse studies with TMS, and reflect the activity of interneurons
in the cortex. Also TMS can alter the functioning of the brain beyond
the time of stimulation, but it does not appear to leave any lasting
effect. (14). <br>
<br>
Interrupting
the electrical fields of local neuronal networks in parts of the cortex
also disturbs the normal function of the brain, because by localized
electrical stimulation of the temporal and parietal lobe during surgery
for epilepsy the neurosurgeon and Nobel prize winner W. Penfield could
sometimes induce flashes of recollection of the past (never a complete
life review), experiences of light, sound or music, and rarely a kind
of out-of-body experience. These experiences did not produce any
transformation.(15-16) After many years of research he finally reached
the conclusion that it is not possible to localize memories inside the
brain. Olaf Blanke also recently described in Nature a patient with
induced OBE by inhibition of cortical activity caused by more intense
external electrical stimulation of the gyrus angularis in a patient
with epilepsy (17). <br>
<br>
The
effect of the external magnetic or electrical stimulation is dependent
of the amount of energy given. There may be no clinical effect or
sometimes stimulation is seen when only a small amount of energy is
given, for instance during stimulation of the motoric cortex. But
during “stimulation” with higher energy inhibition of local cortical
functions occurs by extinction of the electrical and magnetic fields
resulting in inhibition of local neuronal networks (personal
communication Blanke). Also in the patient described by Blanke in
Nature stimulation with higher electric energy was given, resulting in
inhibition of the function of the local neuronal networks in the gyrus
angularis. <br>
<br>
And
when for instance the occipital visual cortex is stimulated by TMS,
this results not in a better sight, but instead it causes temporary
blindness by inhibition of this part of the cortex. We have to conclude
that localized artificial stimulation with real photons (electrical or
magnetic energy) disturb and also inhibit the constant changing
electrical and magnetic fields of our neuronal networks, and so
influence and inhibit the normal function of our brain. <br>
<br>
In
trying to understand this concept of mutual interaction between the
“invisible and not measurable” consciousness, with its enormous amount
of information, and our visible, material body it seems wise to compare
it with modern worldwide communication. <br>
<br>
There is a continuous
exchange of objective information by means of electromagnetic fields
(real photons) for radio, TV, mobile telephone, or laptop computer. We
are unaware of the innumerable amounts of electromagnetic fields that
constantly, day and night, exist around us and through us as well as
through structures like walls and buildings. We only become aware of
these electromagnetic informational fields the moment we use our mobile
telephone or by switching on our radio, TV or laptop. What we receive
is not inside the instrument, nor in the components, but thanks to the
receiver the information from the electromagnetic fields becomes
observable to our senses and hence perception occurs in our
consciousness. The voice we hear in our telephone is not inside the
telephone. The concert we hear in our radio is transmitted to our
radio. The images and music we hear and see on TV is transmitted to our
TV set. The internet is not located inside our laptop. We can receive
at about the same time what is transmitted with the speed of light from
a distance of some hundreds or thousands of miles. And if we switch off
the TV set, the reception disappears, but the transmission continues.
The information transmitted remains present within the electromagnetic
fields. The connection has been interrupted, but it has not vanished
and can still be received elsewhere by using another TV set. Again, we
do not realize us the thousands of telephone calls, the hundreds of
radio and TV transmissions, as well as the internet, coded as
electromagnetic fields, that exist around us and through us. <br>
<br>
Could
our brain be compared with the TV set that electromagnetic waves
(photons) receives and transforms into image and sound, as well as with
the TV camera that image and sound transforms into electromagnetic
waves (photons)? This electromagnetic radiation holds the essence of
all information, but is only conceivable to our senses by suited
instruments like camera and TV set. <br>
<br>
The informational fields
of our consciousness and of our memories, both evaluating by our
experiences and by the informational imput from our sense organs during
our lifetime, are present around us as electrical and/or magnetic
fields [possible virtual photons? (18)], and these fields only become
available to our waking consciousness through our functioning brain and
other cells of our body. <br>
<br>
So
we need a functioning brain to receive our consciousness into our
waking consciousness. And as soon as the function of brain has been
lost, like in clinical death or in brain death, with iso-electricity on
the EEG, memories and consciousness do still exist, but the reception
ability is lost. People can experience their consciousness outside
their body, with the possibility of perception out and above their
body, with identity, and with heightened awareness, attention,
well-structured thought processes, memories and emotions. And they also
can experience their consciousness in a dimension where past, present
and future exist at the same moment, without time and space, and can be
experienced as soon as attention has been directed to it (life review
and preview), and even sometimes they come in contact with the “fields
of consciousness” of deceased relatives. And later they can experience
their conscious return into their body. <br>
<br>
Michael
Shermer states that, in reality, all experience is mediated and
produced by the brain, and that so-called paranormal phenomena like
out-of body experiences are nothing more than neuronal events. The
study of patients with NDE, however, clearly shows us that
consciousness with memories, cognition, with emotion, self-identity,
and perception out and above a life-less body is experienced during a
period of a non-functioning brain (transient pancerebral anoxia). And
focal functional loss by inhibition of local cortical regions happens
by “stimulation” of those regions with electricity (photons) or with
magnetic fields (photons), resulting sometimes in out-of-body states. <br>
<br>
To
quote Michael Shermer: it is the job of science to solve those puzzles
with natural, rather than supernatural, explanations. But one has to be
aware of the progress of science, and to study recent literature, to
know what is going on in current science. For me science is asking
questions with an open mind, and not being afraid to reconsider widely
accepted but scientifically not proven concepts like the concept that
consciousness and memories are a product of the brain. But also we
should realize that we need a functioning brain to receive our
consciousness into our waking consciousness. There are still a lot of
mysteries to solve, but one has not to talk about paranormal,
supernatural or pseudoscience to look for scientific answers on the
intriguing relation between consciousness and memories with the brain.<br>
<br>
</b>* Michael Shermer, 'Demon-Haunted Brain' <i>Scientific American, </i>page
25, March 2003.<b> </b></font><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif"
color="#0000ff" size="2"><br>
</font></p>
<p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Arial, sans serif" color="#0000ff"
size="1"><b>References </b><br>
1
Van Lommel W., Van Wees R., Meyers V., Elfferich I. Near-death
experience in survivors of cardiac arrest: a prospective study in the
Netherlands. <i>The Lancet </i>2001; <b>358: </b>2039-2045. <br>
2 Gopalan KT, Lee J, Ikeda S, Burch CM. Cerebral blood flow velocity
during repeatedly induced ventricular fibrillation. <i>J. Clin.
Anesth. </i>1999 Jun; <b>11 </b>(4): 290-5. <br>
3
De Vries JW, Bakker PFA, Visser GH, Diephuis JC, Van Huffelen AC
Changes in cerebral oxygen uptake and cerebral electrical activity
during defibrillation threshold testing. <i>Anesth. Analg. </i>1998; <b>87:
</b>16-20 <br>
4 Clute H, Levy WJ. Elecroencephalographic changes during brief cardiac
arrest in humans. <i>Anesthesiology </i>1990; <b>73 </b>: 821-825 <br>
5
Losasso TJ, Muzzi DA, Meyer FB, Sharbrough FW. Electroencephalographic
monitoring of cerebral function during asystole and successful
cardiopulmonary resuscitation. <i>Anesth. Analg. </i>1992; <b>75: </b>1021-4.
<br>
6
Parnia S, Fenwick P. Near death experiences in cardiac arrest: visions
of a dying brain or visions of a new science of consciousness. Review
article. <i>Resuscitation </i>2002; <b>52: </b>5-11 <br>
7 Smith DS, Levy W, Maris M, Chance B Reperfusion hyperoxia in brain
after circulatory arrest in humans <i>. Anesthesiology </i>1990; <b>73
: </b>12-19 <br>
8
Sabom M.B. Light and Death: One Doctors Fascinating Account of
Near-Death Experiences. “The Case of Pam Reynolds” in chapter 3: <i>Death:
the Final Frontier, </i>(37-52). Zondervan Publishing House, Grand
Rapids, Michigan, USA. 1998. <br>
9 Desmedt J.E., Robertson D. Differential enhancement of early and late
components of the cerebral somatosensory evoked potentials during
forced-paced cognitive tasks in man. <i>Journal of Physiology </i>1977;
<b>271: </b>761-782. <br>
10 Roland P.E., Friberg L. Localization in cortical areas activated by
thinking. <i>Journal of Neurophysiology </i>1985; <b>53: </b>1219-1243.
<br>
11 Eccles J.C. The effect of silent thinking on the cerebral cortex. <i>Truth
Journal, International Interdisciplinary Journal of Christian Thought.</i>
1988; <b>Vol 2. </b><br>
12 Roland P.E. Somatotopical tuning of postcentral gyrus during focal
attention in man. A regional cerebral blood flow study. <i>Journal of
Neurophysiology </i>1981; <b>46: </b>744-754. <br>
13 Libet B. Subjective antedating of a sensory experience and
mind-brain theories: Reply to Honderich (1984). <i>Journal of
Theoretical Biology </i>1985; <b>144: </b>
563-570. <br>
14 Hallett M. Transcranial magnetic stimulation and the human brain. <i>Nature
</i>2000; <i>406: </i>147-150. <br>
15 Penfield W. <i>The Excitable Cortex in Conscious Man. </i>Liverpool:
Liverpool University Press, 1958. <br>
16 Penfield W. <i>The Mystery of the Mind. </i>Princeton University
Press, Princeton. 1975 <br>
17
Blanke O., Ortigue S., Landis Th., Seeck M. Stimulating illusory
own-body perceptions. The part of the brain that can induce out-of-body
experiences has been located. <i>Nature </i>2002,<b> 419: </b>269-270.
<br>
18 Romijn, H. Are virtual photons the elementary carriers of
consciousness? <i>Journal of Consciousness Studies, </i>2002; <b>9: </b>61-81.
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