Death, brains, and chatbots

A recent study may give new clues about consciousness and near-death experiences.

IN a nutshell Welcome back, friends. Heads up that today we're discussing the topic of death, so please read today's newsletter with care. There are new findings out regarding the mysterious final moments of life, which offer potential clues for understanding the phenomenon of near-death experiences. Below, we take a closer look at the research. Plus: • AI is already giving better medical advice than humans, study says • the future of hearing aids • 17 wrinkle creams for smoother skin • how to get in touch with your sexiest self Stay sharp, Ginger Wojcik Newsletter Editor, Healthline

Written by Ginger Wojcik May 10, 2023 • 5 min read

what's got us buzzing Does life really flash before your eyes when you die? tl;dr: A new study discovered a surge of activity in a region of the brain that may be linked with consciousness just moments after patients had died. This small study questions the long-held belief that consciousness can't continue after death. We may have new clues into the phenomenon of near-death experiences. A new study used MRI imaging to monitor the brains of four people in comas in the moments before and after they were taken off life support. In two of the patients, there was a surge of brain activity in the posterior cortical "hot zone," an area of the brain believed to be important for consciousness. Does this prove that life flashes before your eyes when you die? No. The study's authors haven't made definitive claims about what these findings mean. Since the people were in a comatose state and did not live through the study's completion, it's impossible to know if the surge in brain activity was linked to any sort of lucid experience. What's the significance of all this? It's another piece of evidence that suggests we might not understand the dying brain as well as we thought. Based on our current understanding, near-death experiences shouldn't technically be possible because consciousness cannot continue after you've died. This study calls that long held notion into question. More on consciousness and near death experiences: What do near-death experiences feel like? How does the human brain create consciousness, and why? Parents' brain activity synchronizes in each other's presence Have you ever had a near-death experience and seen your life flash before your eyes? Let us know at wellnesswire@healthline.com. (Please note that we may use your name and response in an upcoming edition!)

great finds Editor faves with health perks       Starkley Livio Edge AI Hearing Aids Almost 30 million people in the United States could benefit from hearing aids, according to the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders. That's almost 10% of the U.S. population! Healthline recently rounded up the best hearing aids on the market, and this option from Starkley was ranked the "most tech forward" on the list. While these Livio Edge hearing aids are on the pricier side, they come with Bluetooth technology, fall detection, foreign translation capabilities, and other innovative AI features. Shop Now Every product we recommend has gone through Healthline's vetting process. If you buy through links on this page, we may receive a small commission or other tangible benefit. Healthline has sole editorial control over this newsletter. Potential uses for the products listed here are not health claims made by the manufacturers. Healthline is owned by RVO Health.

say what   Look who's talking "My mission is to help people listen to their bodies and learn to listen to their bodies … I want to sound the alarms to everybody that you have to be the CEO of your health. You cannot give that over to anybody. That job is yours." – Maria Menounos on her pancreatic cancer diagnosis     Maria Menounos is cancer-free after getting a stage 2 pancreatic cancer diagnosis earlier this year. The E! News reporter and TV personality gave an interview on the Today Show last week about her journey to get a diagnosis and what she's learned from the experience.

Wednesday Kick Start Chatbots are already giving better medical advice than humans, study says Would you trust medical advice from a chatbot? It may not be a bad idea, according to a new study that found chatbot-generated answers were more accurate and empathetic than human-generated answers in 78% of instances. How did the study work? Researchers pulled 195 exchanges from r/AskDocs (a popular Reddit forum) where users posted medical questions that were answered by licensed physicians. Next, they ran the same questions through the AI chatbot ChatGPT. Then a team of healthcare professionals evaluated both sets of answers (without seeing which was generated by the bot or human). In almost 80% of cases, the team preferred the answer given by ChatGPT. So does that mean we should stop going to the doctor? No! We're definitely not there. While new AI products are being developed every day, the factual accuracy of these tools are hotly contested. Hopes are high about how this technology can be used in medicine. But for now, seeing a licensed healthcare professional is still the safest way to have your health needs met. More on artificial intelligence in healthcare: • Can AI help detect lung cancer? • Can AI really change daily life with diabetes?

health stories you need What we're reading next 💃 ️️️How to get in touch with your sexiest self. Whether you're single, partnered, gay, straight, or anything in between, these 20 tips can help you feel more confident between the sheets. ☠ ️️The 10 U.S. states with the most premature deaths. Unintentional injury, cancer, heart disease, and COVID-19 were the top reasons people died before age 75 in these places. 🦠 Your gut microbes vary depending on the time of day and year. A new study found that factors like light, temperature, humidity, and pollen may cause changes to your microbiome. 🧴 ️️17 wrinkle creams for smoother skin. No skin care product can completely eliminate wrinkles, but certain ingredients can ease their appearance. Here are our top picks.

Thanks for reading! Death can be a challenging topic, especially if you're coping with a recent loss. You can find help through an online grief support group or by reaching out to a mental health professional. Morgan will be back on Friday with more health stories you need.

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