Babies born prematurely need to be given more sensory stimulation to help stave off memory problems in later life, according to research published in Human Brain Mapping.
The findings are surprising because the normal recommendation is to keep voices low and minimise outside noise and light. The theory is pre-term babies’ central nervous system is not yet equipped to handle the full intensity of stimulation.
Researchers led by BRC supported Professor Neil Marlow compared MRI scans of babies born prematurely taken at 28-30 weeks of gestation with those taken at 45-50 weeks (from the same babies) to see how different areas of the brain had developed over that period.
The team found that important areas of the brain concerned with memory and processing information developed differently as a result of being born preterm, in particular, the pre-frontal cortex, the temporal lobe and the hippocampus. Being born before 30 weeks of gestation interferes with normal development of connections between these areas, which are particularly vulnerable as they are developing very quickly over the last 3 months of normal pregnancy. Specifically the cells that provide a substance called myelin that helps nerve cells conduct signals efficiently seem to be affected. This may be the reason that preterm born children have more problems at school as the functions affected are key steps in learning.
Professor Marlow said: “We know that when babies that are born very preterm reach full term they have smaller and less complicated brains. We were interested in the parts of the brain which seem to develop fastest when the injuries are likely to occur – they are the parts of the brain most likely to be disrupted by what’s going on.”
As a result of their findings, the researchers say more social interaction early on for preterm babies may allow these areas of the brain that deal with memory to progress; and that this biomarker may change the way social care of these children after birth is approached.
Professor Marlow said: “Many extremely pre-term children, born at 25 weeks or earlier, have a behavioural profile as young adolescents that displays features of sensory deprivation. Because of this pattern of psychopathology, perhaps more attention should be given to the sensory environment of pre-term babies, and not to reduce their sensory input as we do at the moment. Potentially more social interaction should be encouraged early on to allow these areas of the brain to develop.”
The team, which also included BRC supported Professor Seb Ourselin, investigated the brain development of nine pre-term babies.
