Neurodevelopmental Disorders, Sleep
Conditions
Keywords
Infant Sleep, Baby Massage, Neurodevelopmental Disorders
Brief summary
It is well known that sleep is essential for brain development and learning. Infants require extensive sleep for development of the hippocampus, pons, brainstem, and midbrain and for optimizing physical growth. It is also essential for brain plasticity; the genetically determined ability of the infant brain to change its structure and function in response to the environment. Studies in young animals have shown that sleep deprivation leads to increased programmed cell death, smaller brain size, and loss of brain plasticity, all of which have negative long-term impact on behaviour and learning ability. Infant massage, a form of systematic tactile stimulation by human hands, improves sleep hygiene. Very little is known about how massage influences early brain development but it is certainly linked to the theory of environmental enrichment, which has been well established in animal models. The aim of this project is to optimise the infant's sensory experience through a multi-sensory enrichment programme, including massage (a massage utilising a scented lotion before sleep each day), to encourage more structured sleep and ultimately show improved developmental and cognitive outcomes.
Detailed description
See study protocol attached.
Interventions
PROCEDUREBaby Massage
Structured massage of the baby
Sponsors
University College Cork
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
BASIC_SCIENCE
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Neurodevelopmental assessors are blinded to interventional arm.
Intervention model description
single centre, unblinded, randomised, controlled study to evaluate whether a multi-sensory enrichment programme in the first 4 months of life will improve sleep architecture and neurodevelopment in healthy infants.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
37 Weeks to 42 Weeks
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
1. Infants born \> 37 weeks gestation 2. Single births 3. Not requiring admission to the Neonatal Unit 4. Healthy infants without suspected congenital or metabolic anomalies
Exclusion criteria
1. Infants born \< 37 weeks gestation 2. Multiple births 3. Severe metabolic or genetic anomaly that would require ongoing specialist care in the infancy period.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Infant sleep measured by video EEG length of sleep cycles | assessment carried out in fourth month of life | Sleep EEG |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Neuro-development measured by Griffiths 3 Developmental Assessment | Assessment carried out at 4 & 18 month of life | Griffiths 3 Developmental Assessment |
Countries
Ireland
Outcome results
None listed