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Published on: May 15, 2019
Relationship between maternal biological features, environmental factors, and newborn neuromotor development
Fernanda Rombaldi Bernardi1, Marta Knijnik Lucion2, Roberta Dalle Mole3
1Programa de Pós-Graduação em Neurociências, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil; Unidade de Terapia Intensiva Neonatal do Hospital Universitário Polydoro Ernani de São Thiago, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, EBSERH, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil.
Insights
Newborn visual fixation is linked to maternal biological factors, not motor skills or environment. Maternal metabolic profile and breastmilk composition influence infant neurodevelopment.
Area of Science:
- Neonatal neurodevelopment
- Maternal-infant health
- Developmental pediatrics
Background:
- Newborn visual fixation predicts future cognitive, perceptive, and motor skills.
- Understanding factors influencing newborn visual fixation is crucial for assessing neurocognitive abilities.
- Limited research exists on the biological and environmental correlates of early visual fixation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate maternal biological and environmental factors associated with fine motor skills (visual tracking) in 1-month-old infants.
- To identify predictors of visual fixation abilities in newborns.
- To explore the relationship between maternal characteristics and infant visual development.
Main Methods:
- Fifty-one infants were assessed using the Infant Visuomotor Behavior Assessment Scale and the Guide for the Assessment of Visual Ability in Infants.
- Infant motor development was evaluated using the Alberta Infant Motor Scale.
- Maternal factors included mental health (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale, Hamilton Anxiety Scale), home environment, maternal care, breastmilk composition, and maternal metabolic profile.
Main Results:
- Infants with lower visual fixation scores had mothers with higher breastmilk protein levels at 3 months postpartum.
- Infants with better visual conduct scores had mothers with higher serum T4 levels at 1 month and prolactin levels at 3 months.
- No significant associations were found between infant visual ability and motor development, home environment, or maternal care.
Conclusions:
- Early newborn neuromotor development, particularly visual and fine motor skills, is associated with maternal biological characteristics.
- Maternal metabolic factors and breastmilk composition play a role in healthy newborn neurodevelopment.
- Early detection of maternal metabolic changes is important for supporting optimal infant neurodevelopment.
Abstract:
Newborn visual fixation abilities predict future cognitive, perceptive, and motor skills. However, little is known about the factors associated with the newborn visual fixation, which is an indicator of neurocognitive abilities. We analyzed maternal biological and environmental characteristics associated with fine motor skills (visual tracking) in 1 month old infants. Fifty-one infants were tested on visual tracking tasks (Infant Visuomotor Behavior Assessment Scale/ Guide for the Assessment of Visual Ability in Infants) and classified according to visual conducts scores. Differences between groups were compared considering motor development (Alberta Infant Motor Scale) maternal mental health (Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Scale); home environment (Affordances in the Home Environment for Development Scale); maternal care (Coding Interactive Behavior); breastmilk composition (total fatty acids, proteins, and cortisol); and maternal metabolic profile (serum hormones and interleukins). Mothers of infants with lower visual fixation scores had higher levels of protein in breastmilk at 3 months. Mothers of infants with better visual conduct scores had higher serum levels of T4 (at 1 month) and prolactin (at 3 months). There were no associations between visual ability and motor development, home environment, or maternal care. Early newborn neuromotor development, especially visual and fine motor skills, is associated with maternal biological characteristics (metabolic factors and breastmilk composition), highlighting the importance of early detection of maternal metabolic changes for the healthy neurodevelopment of newborns.
