Long-term impact of prematurity on postnatal neurohormonal regulation

• Main Authors: M. I. Ziborova, E. S. Keshishian, E. S. Sakharova
• Format: Article
• Language: Russian
• Published: Ltd. “The National Academy of Pediatric Science and Innovation” 2016-02-01
• Series: Rossijskij Vestnik Perinatologii i Pediatrii
• Subjects: extremely premature infants; behavior; development; brain; memory; cortisol; pain; stress; hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical system; hormonal dysregulation; sleep pattern
• Online Access: https://www.ped-perinatology.ru/jour/article/view/5

This article considers the psychophysiological and neuroendocrine differences characteristic of premature children, which are as a result of long-term perinatal consequences. Particular emphasis is laid on the effects of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical stress system, the performance of which is reprogramed during complicated pregnancy, labor, and postnatal period under pain stress due to medical manipulations. Being extremely sensitive to all these exposures, the brain of a premature infant develops during activation of the stress system and takes on a few distinctive properties in addition to independent neuroanatomical distinctions due to premature birth. The altered neurohormonal patterns revealed in very prematurely born children and adolescents involve the regulation of mental processes, behavior, metabolism, and circadian rhythms (sleep-wake regulation), which differ from those in their maturely born peers. These cases allow learning and behavior problems and lower cognitive estimates to be considered in normally developing children born extremely prematurely who have also hormonal dysregulation.