Some processes continue for minutes or even hours after clinical death. In fact, during the early stages after clinical death, the body enters a series of stages that scientists call “active death,” in which certain chemicals are released and neuronal activity increases as the brain and body gradually shut down.

A groundbreaking 2013 study in mice showed that within 30 seconds of cardiac arrest, neural activity in various brain regions increases significantly.

This hyperactivity is characterized by synchronous brain oscillations similar to those observed in states of heightened consciousness.

Further research in humans supports the idea of ​​increased brain activity after death. In a 2022 study, researchers observed similar spikes in the brain activity of a human patient after his heart stopped, suggesting that the brain may continue to process information after clinical death.