What is the last sense to diminish as death approaches?

Hearing is often considered the last sense to diminish as death approaches. This phenomenon can be attributed to the way our brain processes sensory information. While other senses, such as taste, sight, and touch, may fade more quickly due to physiological changes in the body, hearing tends to remain intact longer. Many reports suggest that individuals nearing the end of life can still perceive sounds, including voices, even when they are unresponsive or unable to communicate. This underscores the importance of speaking to and providing comfort to a person who is approaching death, as they may still be able to hear and process the words and emotional tones around them.

The other senses typically decline earlier due to factors like reduced blood flow and neurological changes occurring in the body, which do not affect hearing to the same degree, making it the last sense to go before death.