Stimulation of human fetuses with sound and vibration

Gagnon, Robert; Patrick, John; Foreman, John E. K.; West, Robert

doi:10.1016/s0002-9378(86)80037-0

Cited by 63 publications

(37 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…a change in state). This is in contrast to Gagnon et al [1986bGagnon et al [ , 1987 who used a vibroacoustic stimulus and reported changes in fetal state from sleep to wakefulness. Other authors [Holloway and Parsons, 1971;Moreau and Birch, 1974;Granier-Deferre et al, 1985] have also noted that different stimuli have differing effects on cardiac responsiveness and that the same stimulus may result in varying rates of habituation in different sys tems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

“…This would explain why studies of human fetuses which used broad spectrum intense vibroacoustic stimuli [Leader et al, 1982[Leader et al, , 1984Birnholz and Benacerraf, 1983;Ben nett, 1984;Jensen, 1984;Ohel et al, 1985Ohel et al, , 1986Hills et al, 1985;Divon et al, 1985;Gagnon et al, 1986bGagnon et al, , c, 1987 or intense sound stimulation [Granier-Deferre et al, 1985;Lecanuet et al, 1986] all report reli able responses to stimulation in uncompli cated pregnancies. Timor-Tritsch [1986] also supports the importance of the intensity of the stimulus in evoking a response.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Measurement of Fetal Responses to Vibroacoustic Stimuli

Leader

Stevens²,

Lumbers³

1988

Neonatology

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Electrocortical (ECoG) and integrated electromyographic (EMG) activity was recorded in 6 chronically prepared fetal sheep (132–145 days). Recordings were made in fetuses prior to and during repeated vibroacoustic stimulation. In the undisturbed fetus, two patterns of ECoG activity were apparent; high (HV) and low voltage (LV). The fetus responded to this broad spectrum stimulus during both LV and HV ECoG activity. In 18 of the 20 experiments, repeated stimulation was not associated with a change in the background ECoG activity. All fetuses responded at least once to the stimulus. Habituation of the EMG response was observed during both HV and LV ECoG activity. The rate of habituation was independent of the background ECoG activity and was unchanged when experiments were repeated at intervals of more than 3 days. These results show that fetal sheep also respond to vibroacoustic stimulation and with repetition habituation occurs.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 76%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Measurement of Fetal Responses to Vibroacoustic Stimuli

Leader

Stevens²,

Lumbers³

1988

Neonatology

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“…With respect to the human fetus in utero, it has been demonstrated that he can respond to sounds external to the mother. Such sounds evoke clear changes in the fetal heart rate from 30 weeks gestational age [Gagnon, 1989] and induce fetal movement as observed by ultrasound even earlier [Hepper and Shahidullah, 1994;Sohmer et al, 1994].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 80%

The Pathway Enabling External Sounds to Reach and Excite the Fetal Inner Ear

et al. 2001

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The human fetus in utero is able to respond to sounds in the amniotic fluid enveloping the fetus after about 20 weeks gestation. The pathway by which sound reaches and activates the fetal inner ear is not entirely known. It has been suggested that in this total fluid environment, the tympanic membrane and the round window membrane become ‘transparent’ to the sound field, enabling the sounds to reach the inner ear directly through the tympanic membrane and the round window membrane. It is also possible that sounds reach the inner ear by means of tympanic membrane – ossicular chain – stapes footplate conduction (as in normal air conduction). There is also evidence that sounds reach the fetal inner ear by bone conduction. Several animal and human models of the fetus in utero were studied here in order to investigate the pathway enabling sounds to reach and activate the fetal inner ear. This included studying the auditory responses to sound stimuli of animals and humans under water. It was clearly shown in all the models that the dominant mechanism was bone conduction, with little if any contribution from the external and middle ears. Based on earlier experiments on the mechanism and pathway of bone conduction, the results of this study lead to the suggestion that the skull bone vibrations induced by the sound field in the amniotic fluid enveloping the fetus probably give rise to a sound field within the fetal cranial cavity (brain and CSF) which reaches the fetal inner ear through fluid communication channels connecting the cranial cavity and the inner ear.

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“…Both systems appear functional early in the 3rd trimester of fetal life as judged by sound-induced fetal tachycardia and movememnt responses in human fetuses (Gagnon, 1989;Hepper & Shahidullah, 1994) and the appearance of auditory brainstem responses of fetal sheep (Pierson, Gerhardt, Griffiths, & Abrams, 1995). Later in gestation, clear changes in fetal behavioral state-criteria and state-concomitants (Nijhuis, 1992) are regularly observed in both species during sound stimulation.…”

Section: Letter To the Editor Fetal Hearingmentioning

confidence: 99%