Scientists Spot Brain Center for 'Out-of-Body' Experience

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By monitoring the use of a patient-controlled button pressed at the start and end of each experience, researchers found that within one second following electrode stimulation to the brain, out-of-body experiences were provoked -- each lasting from 15 to 21 seconds an episode.

While at no time causing any alteration in his sense of consciousness, during each episode, the patient consistently reported feeling disembodied to a specific location -- namely about 20 inches behind his body and to the left. The perception remained the same, regardless of whether the patient was standing or lying down during electrode stimulation.

At no time did the patient report the sense that he was watching his actual body from another place -- a phenomenon known as autoscopy. Rather, he said that throughout each out-of-body episode, he visually perceived the world as usual -- from the vantage point of his actual body. At the same time, however, he continued to feel as if his body was located elsewhere.

During repeated actual and false (placebo) stimulations, the researchers conducted 12 PET scans of the patient's brain.

The scans revealed that throughout each out-of-body episode, brain activity spiked in two areas surrounding the electrode implant: a small area where the angular gyrus meets the supramarginal gyrus, and in the rear section of the superior temporal cortex.

The former area is known for being associated with integrating sensory stimulus -- such as sight, sound, and touch -- in order to establish head and body orientation in space.

The latter area is known to be integral to the forming of a so-called "map" of self-perception -- a key ingredient in establishing self-consciousness.

The researchers concluded that electrode stimulation of these two areas seems to alter a person's spatial self-perception, while leaving global self-consciousness -- the ability to perceive the surrounding world -- untouched. The result: an out-of-body experience.

However, they cautioned that while epileptics, patients suffering from migraines and tinnitus, and those undergoing a near-death experience have all been known to spontaneously experience out-of-body episodes, it remains unclear whether pro-actively stimulating the two identified cranial areas -- which don't normally activate in unison -- would induce a similar experience in healthy individuals.