Near-death experiences continue to challenge the scientific understanding of consciousness: how can vivid and structured reports be explained at moments of extreme physiological failure? This is the central question addressed by neuroscientist Charlotte Martial, who will take part in the 15th “Behind and Beyond the Brain” Symposium, organised by the Bial Foundation.

A researcher at the University of Liège, Belgium, Charlotte Martial studies states of consciousness under conditions of unresponsiveness, such as cardiac arrest or general anesthesia. In her presentation, she will introduce the most recent neuroscientific models that seek to explain these experiences, integrating neurobiological data with subjective descriptions.

Her research suggests that near-death experiences may correspond to natural mental states, potentially serving an adaptive function in extreme situations, contributing to how the brain copes with threat or collapse.

At the same time, these phenomena challenge traditional models by highlighting the possibility of complex conscious experiences under conditions in which such experiences would not, a priori, be expected.

Distinguished with the International Brain Injury Association (IBIA) Young Investigator Award, Charlotte Martial has established herself as one of the leading researchers in this field, bringing together approaches from neuroscience, psychology, and phenomenology.