Infant massage and brain maturation measured using EEG: A randomised controlled trial

Area of Science:

• Neonatal neurology
• Developmental pediatrics
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Very preterm (VPT) infants face neurological risks due to early exposure to the extrauterine environment.
• Immature brains of VPT infants are susceptible to adverse neurological sequelae.
• Understanding interventions to support VPT infant brain development is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of infant massage on brain maturation in low-risk very preterm infants.
• To assess if maternal administered massage therapy influences neurological development in VPT infants.
• To determine the relationship between massage dose and brain maturation indicators.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial involving VPT infants receiving standard care or daily massage therapy from mothers.
• Massage intervention was administered from 34 weeks to 40 weeks corrected age (CA).
• Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure global relative power (GRP) at term equivalent age.

Main Results:

• No significant difference in primary outcome (beta GRP) between massage and standard care groups.
• Infants receiving massage showed significantly higher central alpha relative power compared to controls (p=0.03).
• A dose-response effect was observed: higher massage dose correlated positively with beta, alpha, and theta GRP, and negatively with delta GRP.

Conclusions:

• Infant massage may promote brain maturation in very preterm infants, indicated by increased central alpha relative power.
• A measurable dose-response effect suggests that increased massage frequency/duration is associated with more favorable brain maturation.
• Findings support further investigation in larger clinical trials to confirm the benefits of infant massage for VPT infant neurodevelopment.