Near-death experience is something other than hallucination, study finds

It tends to involve feeling separated from the body and a meaningful review of life, Zoe Tidman reports

Researchers estimate hundreds of millions may have undergone a near-death experience (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

What happens during near-death experiences is different from a hallucination, scientists have said.

People have reported having a profound psychological or spiritual experience during a close brush with death - including meeting dead family members, feeling time slow down, or experiencing vivid sensations.

New research has shed light on what could - and could not - be behind this altered state of consciousness.