Early experience alters brain function and structure.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of early experience on brain function and structure. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial tested the neurodevelopmental effectiveness of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). Thirty preterm infants, 28 to 33 weeks' gestat...

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Published in:Pediatrics Vol. 113; no. 4; pp. 846 - 858
Main Authors: Als H, Duffy FH, McAnulty GB, Rivkin MJ, Vajapeyam S, Mulkern RV, Warfield SK, Huppi PS, Butler SC, Conneman N, Fischer C, Eichenwald EC
Format: clinical trial diagnostic images equations & formulas pictorial research tables/charts Journal Article
Published: American Academy of Pediatrics Apr2004
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Apr2004
      vid: 113
      iid: 4
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      pub: American Academy of Pediatrics
      place: Elk Grove Village, Illinois
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        atl: Early experience alters brain function and structure.
      aug:
        au:
          Als H
          Duffy FH
          McAnulty GB
          Rivkin MJ
          Vajapeyam S
          Mulkern RV
          Warfield SK
          Huppi PS
          Butler SC
          Conneman N
          Fischer C
          Eichenwald EC
        affil: Harvard Medical School and Children's Hospital Boston, Enders Pediatric Research Laboratories, EN107, 320 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115; heidelise.als@childrens.harvard.edu
      sug:
        subj:
          Brain In Infancy and Childhood
          Child Development
          Infant Behavior
          Infant Care
          Infant, Premature
          Behavior Rating Scales
          Brain Anatomy and Histology
          Brain Physiology
          Canonical Correlation Analysis
          Chi Square Test
          Data Analysis Software
          Electroencephalography
          Female
          Funding Source
          Infant Care Methods
          Infant, Newborn
          Intensive Care, Neonatal
          Learning
          Magnetic Resonance Imaging
          Male
          Massachusetts
          Multivariate Analysis of Variance
          Neuropsychological Tests
          Random Assignment
          Single-Blind Studies
          Univariate Statistics
          Human
          Infant, Newborn: birth-1 month
          Female
          Male
      ab: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of early experience on brain function and structure. METHODS: A randomized clinical trial tested the neurodevelopmental effectiveness of the Newborn Individualized Developmental Care and Assessment Program (NIDCAP). Thirty preterm infants, 28 to 33 weeks' gestational age (GA) at birth and free of known developmental risk factors, participated in the trial. NIDCAP was initiated within 72 hours of intensive care unit admission and continued to the age of 2 weeks, corrected for prematurity. Control (14) and experimental (16) infants were assessed at 2 weeks' and 9 months' corrected age on health status, growth, and neurobehavior, and at 2 weeks' corrected age additionally on electroencephalogram spectral coherence, magnetic resonance diffusion tensor imaging, and measurements of transverse relaxation time. RESULTS: The groups were medically and demographically comparable before as well as after the treatment. However, the experimental group showed significantly better neurobehavioral functioning, increased coherence between frontal and a broad spectrum of mainly occipital brain regions, and higher relative anisotropy in left internal capsule, with a trend for right internal capsule and frontal white matter. Transverse relaxation time showed no difference. Behavioral function was improved also at 9 months' corrected age. The relationship among the 3 neurodevelopmental domains was significant. The results indicated consistently better function and more mature fiber structure for experimental infants compared with their controls. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first in vivo evidence of enhanced brain function and structure due to the NIDCAP. The study demonstrates that quality of experience before term may influence brain development significantly.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        clinical trial
        diagnostic images
        equations & formulas
        pictorial
        research
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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