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Published on: June 2, 2014
Migraine aura, a predictor of near-death experiences in a crowdsourced study
Daniel Kondziella1,2, Markus Harboe Olsen3, Coline L Lemale4,5
1Department of Neurology, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Background:
Near-death experiences (NDE) occur with imminent death and in situations of stress and danger but are poorly understood. Evidence suggests that NDE are associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep intrusion, a feature of narcolepsy. Previous studies further found REM abnormalities and an increased frequency of dream-enacting behavior in migraine patients, as well as an association between migraine with aura and narcolepsy. We therefore investigated if NDE are more common in people with migraine aura.
Methods:
We recruited 1,037 laypeople from 35 countries and five continents, without any filters except for English language and age ≥18 years, via a crowdsourcing platform. Reports were validated using the Greyson NDE Scale.
Results:
Eighty-one of 1,037 participants had NDE (7.8%; CI [6.3-9.7%]). There were no significant associations between NDE and age (p > 0.6, t-test independent samples) or gender (p > 0.9, Chi-square test). The only significant association was between NDE and migraine aura: 48 (6.1%) of 783 subjects without migraine aura and 33 (13.0%) of 254 subjects with migraine aura had NDE (p < 0.001, odds ratio (OR) = 2.29). In multiple logistic regression analysis, migraine aura remained significant after adjustment for age (p < 0.001, OR = 2.31), gender (p < 0.001, OR = 2.33), or both (p < 0.001, OR = 2.33).
Conclusions:
In our sample, migraine aura was a predictor of NDE. This indirectly supports the association between NDE and REM intrusion and might have implications for the understanding of NDE, because a variant of spreading depolarization (SD), terminal SD, occurs in humans at the end of life, while a short-lasting variant of SD is considered the pathophysiological correlate of migraine aura.
Insights
Near-death experiences (NDE) are more common in individuals with migraine aura. This finding suggests a link between NDE, rapid eye movement (REM) sleep intrusion, and the pathophysiology of migraine aura.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Sleep Medicine
- Psychology
Background:
- Near-death experiences (NDE) are poorly understood phenomena occurring during life-threatening events.
- Evidence links NDE to rapid eye movement (REM) sleep intrusion, a characteristic of narcolepsy.
- Migraine patients exhibit REM abnormalities and dream-enacting behavior, with associations between migraine with aura and narcolepsy.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the prevalence of NDE in individuals with migraine aura.
- To explore potential links between NDE and the pathophysiology of migraine aura.
Main Methods:
- 1,037 participants from diverse global backgrounds were recruited via crowdsourcing.
- Participant reports of NDE were validated using the Greyson NDE Scale.
- Statistical analyses, including t-tests, Chi-square tests, and logistic regression, were employed.
Main Results:
- Near-death experiences (NDE) were reported by 7.8% of participants.
- No significant associations were found between NDE and age or gender.
- Migraine aura was a significant predictor of NDE, with individuals experiencing migraine aura having a 2.3 times higher odds of reporting an NDE (p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
- Migraine aura is a significant predictor of near-death experiences (NDE) in the studied sample.
- This finding supports the proposed association between NDE and REM sleep intrusion.
- The results may offer insights into NDE pathophysiology, considering the link between spreading depolarization (SD) in migraine aura and terminal SD at end-of-life.
