Document Detail


Assessing effects of serotonin precursors on newborn behavior.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  6764929     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
While traditional studies of newborn diet have focused on the effects of malnutrition on the central nervous system, there is now interest in how qualitative differences in the composition of early newborn feeding might influence behavior. This paper reviews the available techniques for assessing newborn perception and cognition, as well as behavioral organization. The paper then focuses intensively on measures of newborn state behaviour in view of evidence in adult humans, as well as in non-human species, suggesting a relationship between sleep behavior (sleep onset, night waking) and brain serotonin levels. A study designed to examine the relationship between dietary precursors of brain serotonin (within the range of concentrations found in human milk) and newborn state behavior after feeding is described to illustrate the application of these techniques. Healthy, fullterm newborns were fed a modified formula, containing tryptophan or valine, on one day, a routine formula on another day, and observed continuously for 3 h after each feeding for the observation and recording of newborn state. Data from individual infants in the tryptophan and valine groups are presented to illustrate the findings that infants fed tryptophan entered quiet sleep and active sleep sooner than infants fed valine and spent more time in active sleep and less time alert. These results illustrate the value of newborn behavior as a sensitive dependent variable in studies of behavioral effects of diet and suggests that variations in serotonin levels in the newborn brain may modulate the newborn's sleep/wake behaviour.
Authors:
M W Yogman; S H Zeisel; C Roberts
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.; Review    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of psychiatric research     Volume:  17     ISSN:  0022-3956     ISO Abbreviation:  J Psychiatr Res     Publication Date:    1982-1983
Date Detail:
Created Date:  1984-01-27     Completed Date:  1984-01-27     Revised Date:  2006-11-15    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  0376331     Medline TA:  J Psychiatr Res     Country:  ENGLAND    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  123-33     Citation Subset:  IM    
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Brain Chemistry
Cognition
Diet*
Humans
Infant, Newborn / psychology*
Perception
Serotonin / physiology*
Sleep / drug effects
Tryptophan / administration & dosage
Valine / administration & dosage
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
50-67-9/Serotonin; 7004-03-7/Valine; 73-22-3/Tryptophan

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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