Brain and Behavioural Maturation in Newborn Infants of Diabetic Mothers¹– Part I: Nerve conduction and EEG patterns²

Abstract

behavioural maturation in newborn infants of diabetic mothers. Part I : Nerve conduction and EEG patterns. Neuropadiatric 1: 24-35 (1969). Infants of d i a b e~i c mothers were compared with normal neonates of the same menstrual age in order u, deterrnhe their dogree of maturity by means of neurophysiological parameters, i.e. nerve conduction velocity indicating peripheral nerve myel.inisation, 2nd EEG patterns indicating cortical, dendritic, synaptic activity. Nerve conduction velocities were found t o be almost normal for age. T h e EEG patterns, evaluated by means of a coding system, were sometimes similar t o those found in more immature infants. Therefore, o n the basis of the EEG, t h e menstrual age was frequently underestimated in infants of diabetic mothers. So far, no correlation could be detected between the degree of underestimation and blood glucose levels. Newborn infantsInfants of diabetic mothers Electroencephalography Electromyography Nerve conduction velocity.

Neurobehaviour of school age children born to diabetic mothers

“…More than 27 years ago, Shulte et al 14studied the neurological development of newborn infants born to diabetic mothers, compared with that in control newborn infants. They found longer rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in newborn infants of diabetic mothers.…”

Immature sucking patterns in infants of mothers with diabetes

“…They suggested that antepartum maternal glucose metabolism might have an impact on the developing brain in utero. Shulte et al 14 reported more immature electroencephalography patterns in infants of mothers with diabetes as compared to control infants, suggesting a delayed neural maturation. Priestly 15 in an early study of infants of mothers with diabetes reported that, compared with control infants, infants of mothers with diabetes showed significantly less mature Moro (P Ͻ .001) and grasptraction responses (P Ͻ .05).…”

For what Reasons should the Pediatrician Follow the Rapidly Expanding Literature on Sleep? – A panel discussion on sleep cycles in newborn infants

“…N-REM sleep or quiet sleep is regulated from the medullary activating system with concomitant inhibition of the pontine and mesencephalic systems. In this state, the medulla is definitely controlled by the cortex and other higher centers ( JOUVET 1967, LIND~LEY 1960, MAGOUN 1963, M o~u z z r and MAGOUN 1949, SKINNER, LINDSLEY 1967, STER-MAN and CLEMENTE 1962. Thus, the various states of sleep and arousal have in common the brain stem reticular system, although main centers of control are at different levels in the brain stem.…”