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Neurobiological Consequences of Early Painful Experience: Basic Science Findings and Implications for Evidence-Based

Erin E Young1, Amy DʼAgata, Dorothy Vittner

  • 1School of Nursing (Drs Young, D'Agata, Vittner, and Baumbauer) and Institute for Systems Genomics (Drs Young and Baumbauer), University of Connecticut, Storrs; Departments of Genetics and Genome Sciences (Dr Young) and Neuroscience (Dr Baumbauer), University of Connecticut School of Medicine, Farmington; and School of Nursing, University of South Florida, Tampa (Dr D'Agata).

The Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing
|April 25, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Hospitalized neonates undergoing painful events may experience long-term negative effects on development. Improving pain management in infants is crucial for better health outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal care
  • Developmental pediatrics
  • Pain research

Background:

  • Infant survival rates have improved, leading to increased focus on managing painful events in hospitalized neonates.
  • Pain management for neonates is inconsistent across healthcare institutions.
  • Early painful experiences in neonates may impact the development of pain-processing pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review scientific literature on the long-lasting effects of early painful experiences in neonates.
  • To support the hypothesis that early pain alters biological, psychological, and socioemotional functions.
  • To discuss implications for neonatal pain management and evidence-based practice.

Main Methods:

  • Review of basic and clinical science literature.
  • Synthesis of findings on the effects of early painful experiences.
  • Discussion of implications for clinical practice.

Main Results:

  • Evidence supports the hypothesis that early painful experiences have long-lasting negative effects.
  • These effects can manifest in biological, psychological, and socioemotional domains.
  • Variability in pain management highlights the need for evidence-based practice changes.

Conclusions:

  • Early painful experiences in neonates can lead to persistent, negative developmental trajectories.
  • Standardized, evidence-based pain management protocols are essential for hospitalized infants.
  • Further research and practice changes are needed to optimize neonatal pain care.

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