Parent-Training with Kangaroo Care Impacts Infant Neurophysiological Development & Mother-Infant Neuroendocrine Activity

Overview

Journal Infant Behav Dev

Specialties Pediatrics
Social Sciences

Date 2020 Jan 28

PMID 31986315

Citations 15

Authors

Jillian S Hardin

Nancy Aaron Jones

Krystal D Mize

Melannie Platt

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

A randomized control trial was conducted to investigate the effects of skin-to-skin, chest-to-chest contact (kangaroo care, KC) in mother-infant dyads on patterns of infant brain activity and associated mother-infant neurohormone releases. 33 mother-infant dyads participated during pregnancy (29-38 weeks gestation), at neonatal and 3-month periods. Overall, analyses indicated that: 1) infants in the KC group showed left frontal brain activation patterns (asymmetry and coherence) associated with KC training; 2) KC produced moderate to large increases in oxytocin levels; and 3) KC yielded moderate decreases in cortisol reactivity. Findings suggest KC may garner favorable neuro-maturational and neurobiological outcomes for dyads.

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