The human brain starts to deteriorate with age. It slows, memory loss is common, and disorders like Alzheimer’s tend to take over the mind. As someone dies, their brain goes through some strange shifts that scientists are just starting to understand. Insight into this state of mind could help them discover more about human psychology and understand just a little more about someone’s last moments.
When the body slows, different systems begin to shut down, one by one. A state of delirium is reached. Usually by this point, those in a delirious state begin to lose speech capabilities. In other cases, when people can speak, one of the most common things they ask is for their mother.
Delirium is a common mental state found at the end of someone’s life, but they may also experience a type of lucidity, called “terminal lucidity”. According to Popular Mechanics, in this stage, they can remember the people around them, although only for a brief moment, they may remember what they previously forgot or just have a moment of clarity. During this time, they can have a last chance to speak to loved ones, which is a gift that not everyone has. The catch is, death always follows the momentary clarity. They usually pass in a week’s time or even the day of.
It’s unclear why terminal lucidity happens, although scientists theorize a possible solution could be an oxygen deficit in brains while delirious. In these oxygen-deprived brains, a shift in consciousness occurs, with a sudden spike in gamma rays, states Psychology Today. Gamma rays commonly rush the brain during near-death experiences or during higher thinking. An alternative theory being that as the body is dying, the sleeping circuits of one’s brain that houses personality or memories may have a surge in which they can temporarily remind someone of their life. This might be why people can fleetingly remember the people around them and why it can’t be permanent; the circuits can’t continuously fire.
As scientists work to learn more about this strange phenomenon, it’s hopeful that they’ll be able to learn more about the human brain and use the knowledge to make advances in neuroscience.
