New Study Reveals Infants’ Early Pain Perception Milestone
Researchers from University College London have discovered that newborns can sense pain much earlier than previously thought. The study underscores the need for age-appropriate pain management in neonatal care, especially for preterm infants, as it maps the developmental stages of infants' ability to process pain.
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- United Kingdom
In a groundbreaking revelation, scientists from University College London (UCL) have discovered that newborns have the capacity to sense pain well before they can cognitively grasp or emotionally respond to it. The study, published in Pain journal, sheds light on brain development stages crucial for processing pain, with significant neonatal care implications, particularly for premature babies.
With Professor Lorenzo Fabrizi at the helm, UCL's Department of Neuroscience, Physiology, and Pharmacology explored early-life emergence of pain perception components. Fabrizi explained, "Pain is a complex blend of physical, emotional, and cognitive elements. While adults have a mature 'pain connectome', newborns' networks are still evolving, potentially altering their pain experience."
Utilizing infant brain scans from two major projects—the Developing Human Connectome Project and the Human Connectome Project—the team analyzed 372 infants, predominantly preterm. Scans conducted within their first two weeks aimed to reflect innate brain development, unaffected by postnatal experiences. They primarily studied three pain-processing networks: sensory-discriminative, maturing between 34-36 weeks post-conception, affective-motivational around 36-38 weeks, with cognitive-evaluative not reaching maturity until beyond 42 weeks.
The findings indicate premature babies detect pain stimuli but may have difficulty locating it. Emotional responses mature slightly later, while understanding pain's significance lags until post-term age. This maturation delay explains previous findings where preemies showed no habituation to repeated medical procedures. Fabrizi emphasized the need for developmental stage-specific pain management strategies. Funded by the UK Medical Research Council, the study included contributions from UCLH and King's College London researchers, potentially reshaping neonatal care practices to cater to the needs of vulnerable infants more accurately.
(With inputs from agencies.)
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