Aspies For Freedom

I thought this research was interesting -- that premature babies have brains that are differently developed than full-term babies because (perhaps) their brains are exposed to external stimuli too soon.

I thought it was interesting given that many of us have said we were born late -- in other words, we got external stimuli to our brains later than regular-term babies.  It's interesting that the brain regions they discuss are those related to "attention, planning and social judgement."  Sound familiar...?

Womb needed for proper brain development
11/14/2005

The brains of babies born very prematurely do not develop as well as those who are carried to full-term, according to new research presented today at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience in Washington, D.C.

Dr. Sandra Witelson, a professor of psychiatry and behavioural neurosciences at the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine at McMaster University and chief investigator on the interdisciplinary project at Hamilton Health Sciences, said that an ultrasound study of the brains of babies born around 26 weeks gestation showed that certain aspects of brain development were very compromised compared to infants in utero.

"These findings indicate that the normal early maturation of the brain may be compromised when it takes place outside of the womb," said Witelson, holder of the Albert Einstein/Irving Zucker Chair in Neuroscience at McMaster. "We found that in very premature babies, a part of the brain doesn't show normal growth after birth, and in fact some parts of the brain didn't change at all from the day the babies were born until they reached what would have been a full-term birth date."

These results have clinical relevance in how premature babies are cared for, as they indicate that the early brain may be compromised by being subjected to complex stimulation too early.

The results are based on a study of 80 premature boys and girls whose birth weight was less than 1,000 grams (about 2.2 pounds), and who were born just 26 weeks into a normal 40-week pregnancy. Clinical ultrasounds of the premature infants' brains were done at birth and again when they were discharged from hospital, generally around 36 weeks since conception.

They were compared to the brain ultrasounds taken in utero at about 26 weeks gestation and at birth in other studies to a matched group of 38 full-term infants.

Measurements taken from the ultrasounds showed that certain frontal portions of the brains of the premature babies were comparable at birth to the brains of babies still in utero at that stage of gestation. However, after about 10 weeks in intensive care, the second measurement of the premature babies' brains showed some portions of the front part of the brain were significantly smaller than those of babies who were born at or near full-term.

Dr. Witelson said the findings indicate further research is needed to try to understand what mechanisms in utero are missing after birth that are essential for the normal process of neuro development.

When a fetus's brain is developing during pregnancy in utero, very little patterned sensory stimulation reaches the brain, she explained. The eyelids are closed, the infant is bathed in fluid and minimal sounds are perceived.

In contrast, once the premature infant is born, he is necessarily bombarded by a complex environment full of sights, sounds, touches and unnatural loss of movement.

"This research suggests that stimulation of the brain while it is still under construction may not be beneficial," said Dr. Witelson. "The prefrontal regions appear particularly vulnerable. Is it because they are the most premature at birth?"

The prefrontal regions of the brain that were most affected by the lack of development are important for numerous intellectual functions, including attention, planning and social judgment.

Dr. Witelson said more research is needed to consider what in utero mechanisms are essential for brain maturation and the optimal conditions and treatment needed to foster brain development for very premature infants who are treated in neonatal intensive care units early in life.

From McMaster University

http://www.scienceblog.com/cms/womb_need...pment_9294

"The results are based on a study of 80 premature boys and girls whose birth weight was less than 1,000 grams (about 2.2 pounds), and who were born just 26 weeks into a normal 40-week pregnancy."

It is uncommon for babies to be born so early, and also they have a limited chance of survival, the problems that they can develop are wide ranging, so I think a study of their brains can not say very much about average babies.
There could be specific reasons that they have been born prematurely, they could have suffered oxygen deprivation during birth, or suffered placental insufficiency in the womb, I doubt if it could be precisely known that external stimuli was the cause of any differences in brain structure at a later stage.

Where's the info on being born late and correlation with anything?  This is news to me (I was born about 3 weeks late--they had to induce me--I guess I just didn't want to come out of there!!)

I haven't heard of being born late having any relation to autism, we could have a poll on it if people knew.

It might be interesting to include birth weight in the poll.

How accurate is the calculation of pregancy anyway?  I have heard some women say it was right on and other says they thought their doctor miscalculated.  

If this research is true then they should do something about the premie neo-natal intensive care units.  My nephew was in one.  It is very noisy:  machines beeping, people visiting and talking, glaring lights.  They try to let them snuggle up in these little u-shaped roll things but it is not too much like a womb. (I suppose)  There are also lots of tubes which my nephew would try to pull out (his did once).   The staff put quilts over the cots, that helps.  He used to hate being changed or bathed.  He hated being moved around to lie on his side and just would have his hands against the glass.  I thought he was feeling uncomfortable and asked the nurse to move him.

Those papers do seem to match up with what's been anaecdotal knowledge for a long time, that babies born prematurly can exhibit a wide range of neurological or developmental issues, that are less prevelent in full term births.

Someone post up a birthweights/premature poll already ;p

I was born almost a month late and I'm HFA.  IQ 121 specialized on Similarities, Block Design, and Comprehension, but my mom says i've had much language delay and much stimming in the form of rocking and knocking, which was greatly reduced when i was 3-6 with bibery (positive reinformcenet) type conditioning, creating a desire beyond simple example and social drive to want to talk such as 'stop' 'go' on knee rides, and heavy exposure to phonics in kindergarten and 1st grade.