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Suboptimal bonding impairs hormonal, epigenetic and neuronal development in preterm infants, but these impairments can be reversed
Author(s) -
Kommers D,
Oei G,
Chen W,
Feijs L,
Bambang Oetomo S
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
acta paediatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/apa.13254
Subject(s) - medicine , epigenetics , hormone , psychological intervention , hypoxia (environmental) , malnutrition , brain development , bioinformatics , physiology , pediatrics , intensive care medicine , neuroscience , psychiatry , psychology , biochemistry , chemistry , organic chemistry , biology , oxygen , gene
Abstract This review aimed to raise awareness of the consequences of suboptimal bonding caused by prematurity. In addition to hypoxia–ischaemia, infection and malnutrition, suboptimal bonding is one of the many unnatural stimuli that preterm infants are exposed to, compromising their physiological development. However, the physiological consequences of suboptimal bonding are less frequently addressed in the literature than those of other threatening unnatural stimuli. Conclusion This review found that suboptimal bonding significantly impaired hormonal, epigenetic and neuronal development, but these impairments could be reversed by bonding interventions. This suggests that neonatal intensive care units should focus more on interventions that optimise bonding.