Near-death Experiences Scale Research Articles

Phenomenological memory characteristics and impact of near-death experience in critically ill survivors: Observations at discharge and after a 1-year follow-up

BackgroundIt is not rare that intensive care unit (ICU) patients report unusual subjective experiences, ranging from a feeling of harmony with the environment to complex phenomena such as near-death experience (NDE). This 1-year follow-up study investigates the characteristics and potential global impact of the NDE memories recalled by ICU survivors. MethodWe prospectively enrolled 126 adult survivors of a prolonged (>7days) ICU stay (all etiologies), including 19 (15 %) who reported a NDE as identified by the Greyson NDE scale. The NDE group underwent a semi-structured interview one month later evaluating their memory characteristics and the associated life-threatening situation. One year after inclusion, all patients (regardless of whether they recalled an NDE) were contacted for a follow-up Greyson NDE scale assessment and questions about their ICU experience and opinions on death since discharge. ResultsThe Greyson NDE scale revealed that the most frequently reported features were altered time perception, heightened senses and life review, and the Greyson total scores did not evolve over time. NDE memories persisted, with a consequent number of phenomenological characteristics (e.g., visual details, emotions). One year post-ICU, two patients (18 %) of the NDE group and 12 (24 %) of the non-NDE group were less afraid of death. ConclusionsResults emphasize the clinical importance of interviewing all ICU patients to explore any memory after an ICU stay.

Nurse Who Had MERS-CoV Complications with A Near-Death Experience during Pregnancy: A Narrative Analysis

Background: According to prevailing views in neuroscience, near-death experiences (NDE) occurring after severe head trauma, critical illness, or coma are often life-transforming experiences in which no awareness or sensory experience of any kind is possible. Although there are general patterns, each case is quite different from the other and requires accurate recording and reporting to potentially explain the phenomenon. Aim: This narrative study aimed to explore a pregnant woman’s NDE due to complications from MERS-CoV. Methods: This was a qualitative narrative study with the administration of two unstructured interviews. After the second interview, the participant completed the Greyson NDE scale, presented through descriptive statistics. Qualitative data were analyzed using Labov’s model of narrative analysis through abstract, orientation, complicating action, evaluation, resolution, and coda. Results: The Greyson scale resulted in a total score of 12, confirming that the patient had experienced an NDE. Labov’s model of narrative analysis revealed that the patient’s experience was not limited to the NDE but had implications for her recovery and life. The patient experienced all three types of NDEs: out-of-body, transcendental, including the transition of consciousness to another dimension, and a combined experience. She also suffered from prolonged hallucinations, neuropathy, and post-intensive care syndrome (PICS). At the same time, the patient experienced what is known as NDE aftereffects, which are caused by a change in beliefs and values; she began to lead a more altruistic life and became interested in the meaning of life. Conclusions: NDE survivors should be encouraged to talk more and share their stories with others if they wish. This study not only investigates the NDE but also considerably adds to the existing literature by integrating a unique cultural view from a country outside of the US and other Western nations, and it highlights the significant role of healthcare providers in NDEs and the importance of communication with comatose patients. It underscores the need for compassion when dealing with patients with NDEs.

Near-death experiences are associated with rapid eye movement (REM) sleep intrusions in migraine patients, independent of migraine aura.

Migraine aura, near-death experiences (NDEs), and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep intrusions might share common mechanisms. Here, we investigated the prevalence of NDEs and REM sleep intrusions in people with migraine. We hypothesized that NDEs and REM sleep intrusions are more prevalent in migraine patients with aura than in those without. We conducted a prospective cross-sectional cohort study at a tertiary headache center, based on a prespecified sample size (n = 808). Migraine patients completed a series of questionnaires, including questions about demographic and headache characteristics, the 16-item Greyson NDE scale, four questions about REM sleep intrusions, and the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21). Of 808 migraine patients (mean age 44.4 ± 13.3 years, 87.0% women), 353 (43.7%) had a current or previous history of migraine aura. Prevalence of NDE was 2.7% and not different in patients with and without aura (2.8% vs. 2.6%; p > 0.999). REM sleep intrusions were reported by 5.4% of participants and in a similar proportion of patients with and without aura (6.3% vs. 4.9%; p = 0.43). However, participants with REM sleep intrusions had had an NDE more often than participants without REM sleep intrusions (n = 5/44, 11.4% vs. n = 17/754, 2.2%; p = 0.005). Higher DASS-21 scores were associated with REM sleep intrusions (p < 0.001). In this tertiary center cohort study, the prevalence of NDE and REM sleep intrusions was not influenced by migraine aura status. However, we identified an association between NDE and REM sleep intrusions, which corroborates the notion that they might share pathophysiological mechanisms.

A Study of Near-Death Experience in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease.

The near-death experiences (NDE) in dialysis patients of our country have not been previously studied. The objective of this study is to investigate the characteristics of NDEs in patients on dialysis. We performed a cross sectional study of the adult patients of chronic kidney disease stage 5 without dialysis and on dialysis who survived cardiac arrest by cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) as per ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support) guidelines and who sustained pulseless ventricular tachycardia/ventricular fibrillation and received CPR and/or direct cardioversion. We used two scales, Greyson's NDE scale and Ring's Weighted Core Experience Index (WCEI). We performed the study between 2016 and 2018. A total of 29 patients were included. The data based on Greyson's NDE scale and Ring's Weighted Core Experience Index (WCEI)were collected. Our study brings a perspective of NDE in CKD and dialysis patients. A similar study of NDE in dialysis patients should be considered by other nephrologists.

Incidence of near-death experiences in patients surviving a prolonged critical illness and their long-term impact: a prospective observational study

BackgroundSo far, the few prospective studies on near-death experience (NDE) were carried out only in intensive care unit (ICU) patients with homogeneous aetiologies, such as cardiac arrest or trauma survivors. The aims of this 1-year prospective and monocentric study were to investigate the incidence of NDE in ICU survivors (all aetiologies) as well as factors that may affect its frequency, and to assess quality of life up to 1 year after enrolment.MethodsWe enrolled adults with a prolonged ICU stay (> 7 days). During the first 7 days after discharge, all eligible patients were assessed in a face-to-face interview for NDE using the Greyson NDE scale, dissociative experiences using the Dissociative Experience Scale, and spirituality beliefs using the WHOQOL-SRPB. Medical parameters were prospectively collected. At 1-year after inclusion, patients were contacted by phone to measure quality of life using the EuroQol five-dimensional questionnaire.ResultsOut of the 126 included patients, 19 patients (15%) reported having experienced a NDE as identified by the Greyson NDE scale (i.e. cut-off score ≥ 7/32). In univariate analyses, mechanical ventilation, sedation, analgesia, reason for admission, primary organ dysfunction, dissociative and spiritual propensities were associated with the emergence of NDE. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, only the dissociative and spiritual propensity strongly predicted the emergence of NDE. One year later (n = 61), the NDE was not significantly associated with quality of life.ConclusionsThe recall of NDE is not so rare in the ICU. In our cohort, cognitive and spiritual factors outweighed medical parameters as predictors of the emergence of NDE.Trial registration This trial was registered in Clinicaltrials.gov in February 2020 (NCT04279171).

Persistence of Attitude Changes After Near-Death Experiences: Do They Fade Over Time?

The aim of this study was to compare attitude changes reported by people who described near-death experiences (NDEs) at two periods two decades apart, to ascertain whether the attitude changes persisted over time. Participants completed the Life Changes Inventory (LCI) upon entry into the study and again two decades later, and the NDE Scale to quantify depth of the experience. Sixty-three participants (mean age at entry into study, 46 ± 10 years) had scores on the NDE Scale typical of other near-death experiencers. Scores on the LCI showed significant changes in attitudes toward life and death both on entry into the study and two decades later. LCI scores showed no significant change over that period, nor was there a significant correlation between change in LCI scores and time elapsed between the two administrations. NDEs appear to be unusual in the long-term persistence of attitude changes.

Does Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest for Aortic Surgery Trigger Near-Death Experience? Incidence of Near-Death Experiences after Aortic Surgeries Performed under Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest.

Background Understanding near-death experiences (NDE) could provide a new insight into the analysis of human consciousness and the neurocognitive processes happening upon the approach of death. With a temporary interruption of systemic perfusion, aortic surgery under hypothermic circulatory arrest (HCA) may be the only available model of reversible clinical death. We present, herein, the results of an observational study designed to assess the incidence of NDE after aortic surgery. Methods We performed a prospective study including consecutive patients who underwent thoracic aortic surgery between July 2018 and September 2019 at our institution. Procedures without HCA were included to constitute a control group. The primary outcome was the incidence of NDE assessed with the Greyson NDE scale during the immediate postoperative course, via a standardized interview of the patients in the surgical ward. Results One hundred and one patients were included. Twenty-one patients (20.8%) underwent nonelective interventions for aortic dissection. Ninety-one patients had hemiarch replacement (90.1%). Sixty-seven (66.3%) interventions were performed with HCA, with an average circulatory arrest duration of 26.9 ± 25.5 minutes, and a mean body temperature of 23.7 ± 3.8°C. None of the patients reported any recollection from their period of unconsciousness. There was no NDE experiencer in the study cohort. Conclusion Several confounding factors regarding anesthesia, or NDE evaluation, might have impaired the chance of NDE recollections, and might have contributed to this negative result. Whether HCA may trigger NDE remains unknown.

The Near-Death Experience Content (NDE-C) scale: Development and psychometric validation.

As interest grows in near-death experiences (NDEs), it is increasingly important to accurately identify them to facilitate empirical research and reproducibility among assessors. We aimed (1) to reassess the psychometric properties of the NDE scale developed by Greyson (1983) and (2) to validate the Near-Death Experience Content (NDE-C) scale that quantifies NDEs in a more complete way. Internal consistency, construct and concurrent validity analyses were performed on the NDE scale. Based on those results and the most recent empirical evidence, we then developed a new 20-item scale. Internal consistency, explanatory and confirmatory factor, concurrent and discriminant validity analyses were conducted. Results revealed (1) a series of weaknesses in the NDE scale, (2) a 5-factor structure covering relevant dimensions and the very good psychometric properties of the NDE-C scale, including very good internal consistency (Cronbach α=0.85) and concurrent validity (correlations above 0.76). This new reliable scale should facilitate future research.

Prevalence of near-death experiences in people with and without REM sleep intrusion.

BackgroundThe origin and prevalence of near-death experiences are unknown. A recent study suggested a link with REM sleep intrusion but was criticized for its selection of control participants. We therefore assessed the association of REM intrusion and near-death experiences with different methods.MethodsUsing a crowd-sourcing platform, we recruited 1,034 lay people from 35 countries to investigate the prevalence of near-death experiences and self-reported REM sleep intrusion. Reports were validated using the Greyson Near-Death Experiences Scale (GNDES) with ≥7 points as cut-off for near-death experiences.ResultsNear-death experiences were reported by 106 of 1,034 participants (10%; 95% CI [8.5–12%]). Evidence of REM intrusion was more common in people with near-death experiences (n = 50∕106; 47%) than in people with experiences with 6 points or less on the GNDES (n = 47∕183; 26%) or in those without such experiences (n = 107∕744; 14%; p = < 0.0001). Following multivariate regression analysis to adjust for age, gender, place of residence, employment and perceived danger, this association remained highly significant; people with REM intrusion were more likely to exhibit near-death experiences than those without (OR 2.85; 95% CI [1.68–4.88]; p = 0.0001).DiscussionUsing a crowd-sourcing approach, we found a prevalence of near-death experiences of 10%. While age, gender, place of residence, employment status and perceived threat do not seem to influence the prevalence of near-death experiences, we confirmed a possible association with REM sleep intrusion.

Memories of near-death experiences: are they self-defining?

Some people report memories of near-death experiences (NDEs) after facing situations of impending death and these memories appear to have significant consequences on their lives (here referred to as “real NDE experiencers”; real NDErs). We assessed to what extent NDE memories are considered self-defining: memories that help people to define clearly how they see themselves. We screened 71 participants using the Greyson NDE scale (48 real NDErs and 23 NDErs-like who had lived a similar experience in absence of a threat to their life). Participants described their two main self-defining memories (SDMs). For each SDM, they completed the Centrality of Event Scale (CES) to assess how central the event is to their identity. The two subgroups did not differ regarding the proportion of NDErs who recalled their NDE (30 real NDErs out of 48 and 11 NDErs-like out of 23). Real NDErs and NDErs-like who recalled their NDE (n = 41) reported richer experiences as assessed by the Greyson NDE scale. Furthermore, these participants rated their NDE memory as more central to their identity as compared to other SDMs, and the richness of the NDE memory was positively associated to its centrality (CES scores). Overall, these findings suggest that the self-defining aspect of the experience might be related to its phenomenological content rather than its circumstances of occurrence. The self-defining status of NDE memories confirms that they constitute an important part of NDErs’ personal identity and highlights the importance for clinicians to facilitate their integration within the self.

Near-Death Experiences: Are They Self-Defining?

Background: Some people report memories of near-death experiences (NDEs) after facing situations of impending death and these memories appear to have significant consequences on their lives (called real NDE experiencers; real NDErs). This study therefore assessed if NDE memories are considered as self-defining: memories that help people to define clearly how they see themselves. Methods: 71 participants were screened using the Greyson NDE scale (48 real NDErs and 23 NDErs-like who had lived a similar experience in absence of a threat to their life). Participants described their two main self-defining memories (SDMs). For each SDM, they completed the Centrality of Event Scale (CES) to assess how central the event is to their identity. Findings: The two subgroups did not differ regarding the proportion of NDErs who recalled their NDE (30 real NDErs out of 48 and 11 NDErs-like out of 23; p=0.241), suggesting that the self-defining aspect of the experience could be explained by its phenomenological content rather than context of occurrence. These participants (n=41) rated the NDE memory as more central to their identity as compared to the other SDM (p<0.001). Furthermore, the richness of the NDE memory (Greyson NDE scale scores) was positively associated to its centrality (CES scores; p=0.001). Interpretation: The self-defining status of NDE memories confirms that they constitute an important part of NDErs' personal identity and highlights the importance for clinicians to facilitate their integration within the self. SDMs are indeed essential to one's sense of self-continuity, which is crucial for psychological well-being. Funding Statement: The study was further supported by the University and University Hospital of Liege, the Belgian National Funds for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), the Human Brain Project (EUH2020-fetflagshiphbpsga1-ga720270), the Luminous project (EU-H2020-fetopenga686764), the Center-TBI project (FP7-HEALTH- 602150), the Public Utility Foundation ‘Universite Europeenne du Travail’, “Fondazione Europea di Ricerca Biomedica”, the Bial Foundation, the European Space Agency, the Mind Science Foundation and the European Commission. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare: none. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved and carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the ethics committee of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Liege. All participants completed a written informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

An exploration of the roles of trauma and dissociation in mystical experiences and near-death experiences

ABSTRACTThe study aimed to corroborate the notion that mystical experiences and near-death experiences (NDE) are associated with trauma and dissociation and to test whether the prevalence of NDE is congruent across cultures. Among 100 university students who completed a 99-item questionnaire, 20 scored 7 or above on the NDE Scale. Furthermore, group comparisons showed that participants with either mystical experiences or NDE scored significantly higher than those without such experiences on all dissociative measures, but not on the trauma-related measures and absorption. The results support earlier findings implying that dissociation is a common feature in NDE and mystical experiences.

Development of the Italian Version of the Near-Death Experience Scale.

Near-death experiences (NDEs) have been defined as any conscious perceptual experience occurring in individuals pronounced clinically dead or who came very close to physical death. They are frequently reported by patients surviving a critical injury and, intriguingly, they show common features across different populations. The tool traditionally used to assess NDEs is the NDE Scale, which is available in the original English version. The aim of this study was to develop the Italian version of the NDE Scale and to assess its reliability in a specific clinical setting. A process of translation of the original scale was performed in different stages in order to obtain a fully comprehensible and accurate Italian translation. Later, the scale was administered to a convenience sample of patients who had experienced a condition of coma and were, at the time of assessment, fully conscious and able to provide information as requested by the scale. Inter-rater and test–retest reliability, assessed by the weighted Cohen’s kappa (Kw), were estimated. A convenience sample of 20 subjects [mean age ± standard deviation (SD) 51.6 ± 17.1, median time from injury 3.5 months, interquartile range (IQR) 2–10] was included in the study. Inter-rater [Kw 0.77 (95% CI 0.67–0.87)] and test–retest reliability [Kw 0.96 (95% CI 0.91–1.00)] showed good to excellent values for the total scores of the Italian NDE Scale and for subanalyses of each single cluster of the scale. An Italian Version of the NDE Scale is now available to investigate the frequency of NDE, the causes for NDE heterogeneity across different life-threatening conditions, and the possible neural mechanisms underlying NDE phenomenology.

A sub-set of psychoactive effects may be critical to the behavioral impact of ketamine on cocaine use disorder: Results from a randomized, controlled laboratory study

Efforts to translate sub-anesthetic ketamine infusions into widespread clinical use have centered around developing medications with comparable neurobiological activity, but with attenuated psychoactive effects so as to minimize the risk of behavioral toxicity and abuse liability. Converging lines of research, however, suggest that some of the psychoactive effects of sub-anesthetic ketamine may have therapeutic potential. Here, we assess whether a subset of these effects - the so-called mystical-type experience - mediates the effect of ketamine on craving and cocaine use in cocaine dependent research volunteers. We found that ketamine leads to significantly greater acute mystical-type effects (by Hood Mysticism Scale: HMS), dissociation (by Clinician Administered Dissociative States Scale: CADSS), and near-death experience phenomena (by the Near-Death Experience Scale: NDES), relative to the active control midazolam. HMS score, but not the CADSS or NDES score, was found to mediate the effect of ketamine on global improvement (decreased cocaine use and craving) over the post-infusion period. This is the first controlled study to show that mystical-type phenomena, long considered to have therapeutic potential, may work to impact decision-making and behavior in a sustained manner. These data suggest that an important direction for medication development is the identification of ketamine-like pharmacotherapy that is selectively psychoactive (as opposed to free of experiential effects entirely), so that mystical-type perspectival shifts are more reliably produced and factors lending to abuse or behavioral impairment are minimized. Future research can further clarify the relationship between medication-occasioned mystical-type effects and clinical benefit for different disorders. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled 'Psychedelics: New Doors, Altered Perceptions'.

Near-Death Experience features during various phases related to unconsciousness: An exploratory study of Norwegian hospital patients.

The objective of this study was to explore the states of consciousness associated with various features of near-death experience (NDE). The sample comprised 23 Norwegian adult survivors of unconsciousness associated with life threatening medical conditions, either cardiac arrest (CA; n=19) or surgery to address another type of trauma (OT; n=4). Of these, 11 CA and 4 OT patients endorsed at least one item on the Near-Death Experience Scale--Norwegian translation. We individually interviewed each of the 23 patients to ascertain their perception of the phase of unconsciousness in which each endorsed item on the NDE Scale occurred. Although most features reportedly occurred during unconsciousness, at least one item was endorsed for four other phases related to unconsciousness: before, while awakening from, after (conscious), and after (asleep/dream). Our results indicate that healthcare providers need to be prepared that ND experiencers may report clinically significant NDE features during both unconsciousness itself and that more research into this topic is warranted.

Hypno-Death-Experiences: Death Experiences During Hypnotic Regressions

Aim: In this work we analyze 44 death experiences between incarnations, as reported by 36 participants during hypnotic regression sessions with the same hypnotist. Method: The descriptions of the experiences were evaluated using the Italian version of the Near-Death Experience Scale. Results: A large part of the reported experiences can be categorized as “Affective”, with a majority reported as: “Feeling a sense of joy” and “Seeing and being enveloped by a bright light”, as well as in the ’Transcendental’ category, with all experiences showing a similar frequency. Regarding the ‘Paranormal’ category, the most often reported experience is that of: “The feeling of being separated from one’s physical body”. With respect to the total score, 18% fall inside the range commonly used to identify true NDEs. Conclusions: The death experiences undergone during the hypnotic regressions contain very similar characteristics to those reported in classic NDEs. Whether these experiences were actually lived or were, instead, accounts of events previously learned through conventional means remains unknown.

Near-death experiences: Are they self-defining?

Background: Some people report memories of near-death experiences (NDEs) after facing situations of impending death and these memories appear to have significant consequences on their lives (called real NDE experiencers; real NDErs). This study therefore assessed if NDE memories are considered as self-defining: memories that help people to define clearly how they see themselves. Methods: 71 participants were screened using the Greyson NDE scale (48 real NDErs and 23 NDErs-like who had lived a similar experience in absence of a threat to their life). Participants described their two main self-defining memories (SDMs). For each SDM, they completed the Centrality of Event Scale (CES) to assess how central the event is to their identity. Findings: The two subgroups did not differ regarding the proportion of NDErs who recalled their NDE (30 real NDErs out of 48 and 11 NDErs-like out of 23; p=0.241), suggesting that the self-defining aspect of the experience could be explained by its phenomenological content rather than context of occurrence. These participants (n=41) rated the NDE memory as more central to their identity as compared to the other SDM (p<0.001). Furthermore, the richness of the NDE memory (Greyson NDE scale scores) was positively associated to its centrality (CES scores; p=0.001). Interpretation: The self-defining status of NDE memories confirms that they constitute an important part of NDErs' personal identity and highlights the importance for clinicians to facilitate their integration within the self. SDMs are indeed essential to one's sense of self-continuity, which is crucial for psychological well-being. Funding Statement: The study was further supported by the University and University Hospital of Liege, the Belgian National Funds for Scientific Research (FRS-FNRS), the Human Brain Project (EUH2020-fetflagshiphbpsga1-ga720270), the Luminous project (EU-H2020-fetopenga686764), the Center-TBI project (FP7-HEALTH- 602150), the Public Utility Foundation ‘Universite Europeenne du Travail’, “Fondazione Europea di Ricerca Biomedica”, the Bial Foundation, the European Space Agency, the Mind Science Foundation and the European Commission. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare: none. Ethics Approval Statement: The study was approved and carried out in accordance with the recommendations of the ethics committee of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Liege. All participants completed a written informed consent in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.

Intensity and memory characteristics of near-death experiences.

Memories of Near-Death Experiences (NDEs) seem to be very detailed and stable over time. At present, there is still no satisfactory explanation for the NDEs' rich phenomenology. Here we compared phenomenological characteristics of NDE memories with the reported experience's intensity. We included 152 individuals with a self-reported "classical" NDE (i.e. occurring in life-threatening conditions). All participants completed a mailed questionnaire that included a measure of phenomenological characteristics of memories (the Memory Characteristics Questionnaire; MCQ) and a measure of NDE's intensity (the Greyson NDE scale). Greyson NDE scale total score was positively correlated with MCQ total score, suggesting that participants who described more intense NDEs also reported more phenomenological memory characteristics of NDE. Using MCQ items, our study also showed that NDE's intensity is associated in particular with sensory details, personal importance and reactivation frequency variables.

Near-Death Experiences in a Multi-religious Hospital Population in Sri Lanka.

Near-death experiences (NDEs) are a wide range of experiences that occur in association with impending death. There are no published studies on NDEs in general hospital populations, and studies have been mainly conducted on critically ill patients. We assessed the prevalence of NDEs and its associations in a multi-religious population in a general hospital in Sri Lanka. A randomised sample of patients admitted to the Colombo North Teaching Hospital was assessed using the Greyson NDE scale and clinical assessment. Out of total 826 participants, NDEs were described by 3%. Compared to the NDE-negative participants, the NDE-positive group had a significantly higher mean for age and a ratio of men. Women reported deeper NDEs. Patients of theistic religions (Christianity, Islam and Hinduism) reported significantly more NDEs compared to patients from the non-theistic religious group (Buddhism). NDE-positive patient group had significantly higher reporting of a feeling 'that they are about to die', the presence of loss of consciousness and a higher percentage of internal medical patients. This is the first time that NDEs are assessed in a general hospital population and NDEs being reported from Sri Lanka. We also note for the first time that persons with theistic religious beliefs reported more NDEs than those with non-theistic religious beliefs. Medical professionals need to be aware of these phenomena to be able to give an empathic hearing to patients who have NDE.

Temporality of Features in Near-Death Experience Narratives.

Background: After an occurrence of a Near-Death Experience (NDE), Near-Death Experiencers (NDErs) usually report extremely rich and detailed narratives. Phenomenologically, a NDE can be described as a set of distinguishable features. Some authors have proposed regular patterns of NDEs, however, the actual temporality sequence of NDE core features remains a little explored area.Objectives: The aim of the present study was to investigate the frequency distribution of these features (globally and according to the position of features in narratives) as well as the most frequently reported temporality sequences of features.Methods: We collected 154 French freely expressed written NDE narratives (i.e., Greyson NDE scale total score ≥ 7/32). A text analysis was conducted on all narratives in order to infer temporal ordering and frequency distribution of NDE features.Results: Our analyses highlighted the following most frequently reported sequence of consecutive NDE features: Out-of-Body Experience, Experiencing a tunnel, Seeing a bright light, Feeling of peace. Yet, this sequence was encountered in a very limited number of NDErs.Conclusion: These findings may suggest that NDEs temporality sequences can vary across NDErs. Exploring associations and relationships among features encountered during NDEs may complete the rigorous definition and scientific comprehension of the phenomenon.