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| The scientists noted the babies' electrical brain activity as they underwent a routine heel lance, which is a standard, essential procedure of pricking the baby's foot to collect blood samples after birth. (Picture from: http://www.livescience.com/) |
When the fetus begins to feel pain, to distinguish between touch and pain? That question may soon be answered by research conducted by a number of British researchers. The study of infant development indicated the baby began to feel ill a few weeks before they were born.
The findings are expected to help improve the clinical treatment for babies born prematurely. "Babies can discriminate painful stimuli as something other than the common touch at 35-37 weeks gestation, just before the baby was born," said Lorenzo Fabrizi, study researchers at University College London, UK.
The scientists studied 46 infants at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital Wing in Bloomsbury, London. Because 21 of 46 babies are born prematurely, researchers could monitor brain activity differences in stages since the baby was 28 weeks with normal babies born at 37 weeks. Most babies born at 40 weeks gestation tread, but babies born at 37 weeks of age have been considered old enough. To find out whether the babies were able to feel pain, researchers rely on recordings of brain activity using electro encephalography. The researchers recorded brain electrical activity of the baby when the baby was undergoing heel lance, routine blood sampling procedure on the baby's feet. Changes in brain activity common to be localized reaction that shows babies experience pain when pricked with a needle.
"Of course babies can not tell us what they feel that it is impossible to know what is really felt by the baby," said Fabrizi. "We can not say that before these changes in brain activity, they do not feel pain."
The scientists noted, when the baby's brain develops, spikes of neural activity shifted from the more general activity becomes more specific. It makes the baby can develop as an adult response more specific to a particular sensory input. *** [LIVESCIENCE | KORAN TEMPO 3646]
The findings are expected to help improve the clinical treatment for babies born prematurely. "Babies can discriminate painful stimuli as something other than the common touch at 35-37 weeks gestation, just before the baby was born," said Lorenzo Fabrizi, study researchers at University College London, UK.
The scientists studied 46 infants at the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Hospital Wing in Bloomsbury, London. Because 21 of 46 babies are born prematurely, researchers could monitor brain activity differences in stages since the baby was 28 weeks with normal babies born at 37 weeks. Most babies born at 40 weeks gestation tread, but babies born at 37 weeks of age have been considered old enough. To find out whether the babies were able to feel pain, researchers rely on recordings of brain activity using electro encephalography. The researchers recorded brain electrical activity of the baby when the baby was undergoing heel lance, routine blood sampling procedure on the baby's feet. Changes in brain activity common to be localized reaction that shows babies experience pain when pricked with a needle.
"Of course babies can not tell us what they feel that it is impossible to know what is really felt by the baby," said Fabrizi. "We can not say that before these changes in brain activity, they do not feel pain."
The scientists noted, when the baby's brain develops, spikes of neural activity shifted from the more general activity becomes more specific. It makes the baby can develop as an adult response more specific to a particular sensory input. *** [LIVESCIENCE | KORAN TEMPO 3646]
