MINDS Study

The Human Consciousness Project is launching a Multi Centre International Near Death Study (MINDS), to further investigate the subjective and cognitive experiences of individuals undergoing cardiac arrest. This study will build on a growing body of literature which has suggested that approximately 10-20% of cardiac arrest survivors report memories, awareness and consciousness that are consistent with the phenomenon known as ‘near death experience’. The goal of this study is to further elucidate the subjective characteristics of the near death experience.

To achieve these goals we aim to recruit a cohort of approximately 2000-3000 cardiac arrest survivors from Europe, North America, South America, Africa, Asia and the Middle East. The goal of a multicultural approach is to assess if there are significant differences in the subjective experience of the near death experience across various cultures based on socio-cultural conceptions of death and dying.

We contend that this will broaden our conception of the near death experience and help to expand our current notions of this phenomenon. The initial arm of the study will entail a simple retrospective questionnaire study whereby cardiac arrest survivors will be offered the chance to participate in a formal interview, which will capture the subjective characteristics of the perceptions and memories of cardiac arrest survivors. This will also help us to quantify the prevalence of near death experience globally. We then intend to develop this initial arm by further investigating how this experience correlates to physiologic parameters such as cognitive and neurological function. The broader goal of this study is to develop a clearer understanding of the mechanisms of consciousness of the human mind in the context of cardiac arrest and clinical death.