Abstract: The author reviews aspects of the out-of-body experience (OBE) related to psychic experiences and personality traits, and describes a continuum of experiences of altered mind/body perception, from the prototypical OBE on the healthy end to schizophrenia and organic brain syndromes on the other end. The impact of the OBE on the individual's life is described, with suggestions for a psychoeducational approach to the clinical management of the patient with an OBE to allow maximum growth from the consciousness-expanding effects of the experience.

Article presenting theoretical perspectives on the event and process of death.

Article describing several theories to account for the origin of tunnel hallucinations and tunnel experiences near death: (1) the idea of a "real" tunnel; (2) representations of transition; (3) reliving birth memories; (4) imagination; and (5) physiological origins. Three different physiological theories are considered that relate the tunnel form to the structure of the visual cortex.

Abstract: Prior hypotheses as to the etiology of near-death experiences (NDEs) have been limited to psychiatric explanations or brief discussions of endorphins as causative agents. We present a neurophysiological explanation for NDEs based on their similarities with lysergic acid-, ketamine-, and hypercampnia-induced hallucinations. We believe the core NDE is genetically imprinted and triggered by serotonergic mechanisms.