Brain Site Responsible For ""Out-of-Body Experiences"" Identified

LONDON Sep 18, 2002 (Reuters) - Swiss scientists think they have pinpointed the area of the brain where so-called "out-of-body experiences" are triggered.

When Dr. Olaf Blanke, from Geneva University Hospital, and colleagues used electrodes to stimulate the brain of a female epilepsy patient during treatment, the woman reported that she felt as though she had left her body and was floating above it.

Dr. Blanke"s group produced the phenomenon by stimulating an area in the right cortex of the angular gyrus.  The findings are published in the September 19th issue of Nature.

These findings suggest that "this experience is related to a specific part of the brain," Dr. Blanke told Reuters.  "It seems to be that this area is important for brain processes that could be related to out-of-body experience."

Scientists believe that about 10% of people brought back from the brink of death experience something similar, but it has been difficult to prove it actually occurs.  The phenomenon has also been reported by some migraine, epilepsy and stroke patients.

The Swiss researchers produced the sensation, which lasted for about 2 seconds, three times in the patient.  She reported feelings of lightness and floating about 2 meters above the bed.

When Dr. Blanke and his team asked the women to look at a part of her body from the heightened position, her legs for example, she had illusions and reported seeing her legs "becoming shorter."

The scientists believe that the angular gyrus matches up visual information with touch and balance sensations to create the mind"s representation of the body.  They believe an out-of-body experience may occur when the two do not link up.

Dr. Blanke does not know why the phenomenon occurs in people who have been near death, but he said it could be due to a lack of oxygen or a malfunction of certain brain regions.


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