The lateral tongue reflex in human neonates

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Neuroscience
• Oral Motor Function

Background:

• The lateral tongue reflex is crucial for infant feeding and development.
• Understanding factors influencing this reflex is important for assessing neonatal oral sensation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between lateral tongue reflex sensitivity and perinatal factors in newborns.
• To assess the reliability and reproducibility of the lateral tongue reflex.

Main Methods:

• Tactile stimulation of varying intensity using the Semmes-Weinstein esthesiometer was applied to the lateral edges of the tongue in 51 newborns.
• The reflex response was recorded, with a total of 32 stimulations administered per infant.
• Data were analyzed for differences based on sex, delivery method, resuscitation status, and various perinatal variables.

Main Results:

• The lateral tongue reflex demonstrated consistent sensitivity across stimulation intensities, with a 5% response at the lowest and 100% at the highest level.
• No significant differences were found in reflex responses or thresholds based on side of stimulation, repetition, sex, delivery method, or resuscitation status.
• Perinatal factors including labor duration, medications, postnatal age, Apgar scores, birth weight, and gestational age did not systematically influence reflex sensitivity.

Conclusions:

• The lateral tongue reflex is a stable and reproducible measure of oral sensation in neonates.
• This reflex has potential utility for assessing oral sensation in both typical newborns and those with neurosensory deficits.