Relation Between Birth Condition and Neuro-Behavioral Organization in the Neonate

Abstract

The neuro-behavioral organization of three groups of infants who differed in their condition at birth as determined by their Apgar score was examined during the first week of life. At the time of testing, all infants, regardless of birth status, were in good condition according to clinical evaluation. Testing consisted of the presentation of 30 lateralized somesthetic stimuli to the perioral region of each infant (15 to each side). The response measure used was the lateral direction of the first head turn. As a group, normal infants (Apgar scores of 9-10) were found to be more responsive to stimulation of the right than of the left, and to make more ipsilateral responses to stimulation of the right than of the left. Infants whose condition at birth was poor (Apgar scores 1-6) did not show these patterns of response but were equally likely to be preponderantly responsive to stimulation at either side. The degree of lateral differentiation was atypically small even for those infants of poor birth status who exhibited the typical direction of differentiation, i. e., who made more ipsilateral responses to stimulation of the right than of the left. Furthermore, the proportion of infants of poor birth status who made any contralateral responses was higher than the proportion of normal infants who made such responses. Results from a group of infants whose condition at birth was questionable (Apgar scores 7-8) fell between those from the extreme groups with respect to all of the analyses. SpeculationPoor condition at birth has persistent effects on behavioral organization even in babies who, in clinical judgment, have recovered normal functioning. To the extent that early behavioral organization may be relevant to the subsequent development of lateral differentiation, these effects could be related to the association between a variety of disabilities and disturbances in lateral differentiation which has been found in older children and adults.

Development of postural asymmetry in premature human infants

“…However, as is always the case when a difference between premature and full-term infants is observed, the difference may stem not from the absence of intrauterine experience but rather from the same cituses and physiological consequences as contributed to the prematurity itself. This possibility receives some support from the previous finding that babies born in poor condition as evidenced by low Apgar scores exhibit a weaker lateral difference in response to somesthetic stimulation than do infants born in good condition (Turkewitz, Moreau, & Birch, 1968).…”

Lateral differences and head‐turning responses to somesthetic stimulation in premature human infants

“…In view of these apparent differences between full-term and premature infants, a direct comparison was made between the data obtained in the present study and those previously obtained from comparable testing of a group of 71 full-term infants ("high Apgar group" from Turkewitz et al, 1968). Infants who were 36 weeks and older gave the strongest indication of being more likely to make ipsilateral than contralateral responses; therefore all comparisons with the full-term infants were based on tests conducted when the premature infants were at these older ages.…”

“…Prior investigations have indicated that full-term infants: (1) make head-turning responses to somesthetic stimulation of the perioral region (Prechtl, 1958;Turkewitz P t al., 1965); (2) make nearly all responses toward the stimulus (Prechtl, 1958;Turkewitr et al, 1965); (3) exhibit a marked lateral difference in their ipsilateral responding such that they make more ipsilateral turns to stimulation of the right than of the left (Turkewitz et al, 1965); and (4) make more contralateral responses to stimulation of the left than to stimulation of the right (Turkewitz et al, 1967;Turkewitz, Moreau, & Birch, 1968). The current data indicate that premature infants are similar to full-term infants in that they are responsive to somesthetic stimulation, tend to make more ipsilateral responses, and tend to make more contralateral responses to stimulation of the left than of the right.…”

Motor asymmetries in preterm infants: Effects of prematurity and illness

“…Because birth condition has been shown to disrupt asymmetries (Turkewitz, Moreau, Birch, 1968), an ontogenetic interpretation of development of the lateral asymmetries from the 2 studies cited above is unclear. Specifically, preterm lateral head turning response may not be a later developing behavior but may have been affected by illness rather than by prematurity alone.…”