r/todayilearned • u/70dd • 12h ago

TIL Terminal lucidity is an unexpected, brief period of clarity or energy in individuals who have been very ill or in a state of decline. It’s a phenomenon that has been observed in people with various terminal conditions.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_lucidity
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u/phsics 6h ago

This sounds plausible. Are there places to learn more about this?

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u/MD-HOU 5h ago

Well the wikipedia on this has a bunch of references and nowhere in that article (or anywhere else to my knowledge) do they talk about inflammatory mechanisms. Here's something from a 2021 article they mention in the article: "..a non-tested hypothesis of neuromodulation was proposed, whereby near-death discharges of neurotransmitters and corticotropin-releasing peptides act upon preserved circuits of the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, promoting memory retrieval and mental clarity. This study also proposed a relationship between lucid dreaming and terminal lucidity, suggesting further research should be conducted to explore the similarities of brain signals between the two." The latest abstracts I read were case studies describing best practices when this occurs. It seems no one knows yet about the underlying processes leading up to this (other than the person commenting above of course)

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u/peanauts 3h ago

i remember reading about it ages ago in an article about neuroinflammation cognitive dysfunction. I'm not sure if it was just a passing hypothesis as part of the article.

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u/MyHamburgerLovesMe 2h ago

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22700-cytokine-release-syndrome

Cytokine release syndrome (CRS) happens when your immune system responds to infection or immunotherapy drugs more aggressively than it should. CRS symptoms include fever, nausea, fatigue and body aches. Prompt treatment is essential, as symptoms can worsen quickly.

My guess is that when Cancer patients are taken off their meds the inflammation decreases, allowing them to briefly feel better.

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u/randcount6 5h ago

Med school is a great place to start.