Premature birth can affect the development of babies in different ways. A new study suggests that children's future language skills may also be affected.
Don't store avocado like this: it's dangerousIl premature birth it can affect children's development in different ways. A new study suggests that children's future language skills may also be affected.
According to the research, conducted by a team from the University of Illinois in the United States and published in eNeuro, preterm babies are likely to experience developmental delays in the brain region linked tohearing and understanding of sound. Consequence of this would be the possible appearance of speech and language disorders at the age of 2.
To understand how the auditory cortex matures in the last trimester of gestation, the researchers collected a series of data between 2007 and 2010. The 90 premature babies sampled in the study had undergone magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) from a to four times. Another 15 babies were then analyzed in the first four days of life in order to be able to make a comparison with premature babies.
The team focused in particular on analyzing the primary auditory cortex (which is the first cortical region to receive auditory signals from the ears through other parts of the brain) but also the non-primitive auditory cortex, which plays a more sophisticated role in processing the stimuli.
The analysis revealed that by 26 weeks of gestation, the primary auditory cortex was at a much more advanced stage of development than the non-primitive auditory cortex.
Between 26 and 40 weeks, the nonprimary auditory cortex in infants matured rapidly, partially reaching the primary auditory cortex. Both regions appeared less developed at 40 weeks in preterm infants than in full term infants.
The team also found an association between delayed development of the nonprimary auditory cortex in infancy and the presence of language delays in children at age 2, suggesting that disruptions that occur in the development of this part of the brain due to premature birth can contribute to developing speech problems.
That future babies inside the mother's womb can feel was already known. As Brian Monson, head of the study, stated:
“From these types of studies, we know that fetuses in the third trimester of gestation are listening, learning and creating memories. It is quite extraordinary that such an immature system already has the ability to start distinguishing and learning "
Ultrasound studies reveal, for example, that from 25 weeks into gestation, fetuses move in response to externally produced sounds. Other research shows that newborns prefer to hear sounds, both music and speech, they have been exposed to in the womb over unfamiliar sounds.
On premature births, you may also be interested in:
- How a glove can save the lives of many premature babies
- Skin to skin with dad: all the benefits for newborns (premature and not)
- Premature babies: here are the cutest superheroes you've ever seen (PHOTO)
