CARDIOVASCULAR INDICES (VARIABILITY) PREDICTING CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM MATURATION.
Contributors: University of Pennsylvania.
Published: 1994
Number of pages: 129
Subjects: Health Sciences, Human Development.; Health Sciences, Nursing.; Biology, Neuroscience.
Description: As the limits of viability continue to be extended to include ever smaller and younger infants, it is increasingly apparent that more sensitive indicators are needed to quantify the level of the development of a neonate's maturing central nervous system. Sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system influences affecting heart rate exhibit changes in neural control with increasing gestational age. As the maturation pattern of the autonomic system has been documented, it may be possible to analyze individual differences in heart rate variability to serve as an indicator of the neonate's neurodevelopmental level. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to investigate if there existed a pattern of neurodevelopmental maturation associated with increasing gestational age by observing heart rate variability in very preterm, preterm and fullterm infants, while controlling for behavioral state. Spectral analysis was utilized to compare the amount of spectral power derived from the electrocardiograph tracing located in specific frequency band.

The results of this study concluded that there is a discernable pattern of maturation with increasing gestational age. This was demonstrated by a decreasing baseline heart rate, increasing total spectral power and a shift in the spectral power toward the higher frequency bands dominated by the parasympathetic nervous system. Behavioral state appeared to influence the amount of spectral power and heart rate variability produced as these variables increased when infants were in the sleep states. To further develop a model for maturation, more studies are needed to follow infants serially over the entire neonatal period.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 55-05, Section: B, page: 1792.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, 1994.

School code: 0175.