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Release of GI hormones in mother and infant by sensory stimulation
K Uvnäs-Moberg1, A M Widström, G Marchini
1Department of Pharmacology, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.
Insights
Sensory stimulation, like non-nutritive sucking and tactile input, enhances infant growth and development by activating sensory nerves. This process releases gut hormones crucial for maturation and energy regulation in both infants and mothers.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal development
- Gastroenterology
- Neuroendocrinology
Background:
- Sensory stimulation is vital for infant growth and development.
- Non-nutritive sucking and tactile stimulation benefit premature infants.
- Non-nutritive sucking influences gastrointestinal hormones in neonates.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the link between sensory stimulation and gut hormone release.
- To explore the role of vagally mediated reflexes in infant maturation.
- To understand the impact of mother-infant interactions on energy economy.
Main Methods:
- Review of existing literature on sensory stimulation and infant development.
- Analysis of animal experimental data on sciatic nerve stimulation and vagal activation.
- Hypothesizing the neurogenic pathways involved in gut hormone regulation.
Main Results:
- Sensory stimulation (non-nutritive sucking, tactile) activates sensory nerves.
- This activation leads to the release of vagally regulated gut hormones (gastrin, cholecystokinin).
- These hormones promote gastrointestinal growth, function, and insulin release, aiding maturation.
Conclusions:
- Sensory stimulation contributes to infant maturation and growth via gut hormone pathways.
- Neurogenic reflexes in mother-infant interactions are important for energy balance.
- Further research into these reflexes can optimize infant care and development.
Abstract:
It is well established that sensory stimulation is of great importance for the growth of and for the physiological and psychological development of infants. Supplementary sensory stimulation such as non-nutritive sucking and tactile stimulation has been shown to increase the growth rate and the maturation of premature infants. In human neonates non-nutritive sucking has a vagally mediated influence on the levels of some gastrointestinal hormones. In animal experiments afferent electrical stimulations of the sciatic nerves at low intensity leads to an activation of the vagal nerves and to a consequent release of vagally controlled gastrointestinal hormones such as gastrin and cholecystokinin. We therefore assume that both non-nutritive sucking and tactile stimulation trigger the activity of sensory nerves which leads to a release of vagally regulated gut hormones. Since gut hormones stimulate gastrointestinal motor and secretory activity and the growth of the gastrointestinal tract, and enhance the glucose-induced insulin release, they may contribute to the beneficial effects on maturation and growth caused by sensory stimulation. In the breast-feeding situation, the sucking of the child elicits similar reflexes in the mother leading to an activation of the maternal gut endocrine system and a consequent increase in energy uptake. These data indicate that many types of neurogenic reflexes induced in mother-infant interactions are of importance for the energy economy of both mother and child.