Once, a man suffering from epilepsy visited the clinic of Dr. Josef Parvizi, a professor of neurology at Stanford University. The patient complained that during seizures, he felt as if he were floating in space and observing conversations in his head. He became the starting point for a major experiment on out-of-body experiences (OBEs).
Eventually, a group of American researchers led by Dian Lyu found nine volunteers with severe forms of epilepsy who had been hospitalized to identify the source of their seizures. The process involved placing electrodes in the patients’ brains and then waiting for a seizure to occur. These electrodes could also be used to deliver electrical impulses. Thus, the team of scientists stimulated various areas of the brain to observe whether they affected each patient’s self-perception.
The authors discovered that the anterior precuneus plays a crucial role in one’s perception of their body or bodily “Self.” This area is responsible for the narrative “Self,” a kind of internal autobiography that helps us define who we are.
As reported by NPR, thanks to this discovery, researchers can develop forms of anesthesia that use electrical stimulation instead of drugs. Currently, a similar result is achieved through medications such as ketamine, which also affects the precuneus. However, scientists hope to eventually use electrical impulses instead of anesthetics, which have numerous side effects.
Would you be willing to experience an OBE using this method?
The article was published in June 2023 in Neuron.
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