There are few moments in life as precious, critical and celebrated as a baby's first cry. New research from the University of Virginia School of Medicine sheds light on the lifelong changes in...Breathing of newborns, which occur precisely with this first breath. The study may provide important insights into the prevention of sudden infant death syndrome.
The first cry protects postnatal breathing
A team of researchers has discovered a signaling system in the brainstem that is activated almost immediately at birth. In this way, the infant's early breathing can be supported. So the first breath that every parent values seems to trigger this support system. Birth is traumatic for the newborn because the baby must independently assume control of several important body functions, including breathing, the study authors said. Researchers believe that activating this support system at birth provides an additional safety factor during this critical time. These new findings help scientists understand how breathing transitions from a fragile state to a stable and robust physiological system. This supplies the body with oxygen for the rest of its life.
Before a baby is born, breathing is not required. Breathing movements occur so intermittently that the birth transition can be a very vulnerable time. Furthermore, such a condition leaves the baby vulnerable to brain damage and potentially fatal consequences. The scientists, working with researchers at the University of Alberta and Harvard University, found that a particular gene is activated immediately at birth in a cluster of neurons. These selectively regulate breathing, and the gene produces a peptide neurotransmitter. This messenger substance of the nervous system is a chain of amino acids that passes information between neurons. The transmitter called PACAP is released by these neurons as soon as the baby's first cry sounds after it is born.
Study results
The scientists found that suppressing the peptide caused breathing problems in mice and increased the frequency of apneas. The latter represent potentially dangerous breathing pauses. These apneas continued to increase with changes in the ambient temperature. The observations therefore suggest that such neurological problems could lead to sudden infant death syndrome. Also known as crib death, this occurs when an unexplained, sudden infant death occurs under one year of age. It is the leading cause of child mortality in Western countries. The reason is attributed to a combination of genetic and environmental factors, including temperature. So the study's new research suggests that breathing problems may increase babies' vulnerability. PACAP is the first signaling molecule shown to be massively and specifically activated by the respiratory network at birth.These resultsraise the intriguing possibility that additional brain changes may occur in the control systems for breathing and other critical functions.
