Home Medicine Blink-startle reflex habituation in 30–34-week low-risk fetuses
Article
Licensed
Unlicensed Requires Authentication

Blink-startle reflex habituation in 30–34-week low-risk fetuses

  • Carlo V. Bellieni , Filiberto Severi , Catarina Bocchi , Ninetta Caparelli , Franco Bagnoli , Giuseppe Buonocore and Felice Petraglia
Published/Copyright: June 1, 2005
Journal of Perinatal Medicine
From the journal Volume 33 Issue 1

Abstract

Objective: To investigate whether the blink-startle reflex (BSR) is a good marker of habituation to vibroacoustic stimulation in healthy preterm fetuses.

Materials and methods: A total of 22 women with uncomplicated pregnancies at 30–34 weeks participated in the study. Vibroacoustic stimulus was repeatedly applied to the maternal abdomen above the fetal head for a period of 2 s every 10 s. Fetal eye tightening monitored by ultrasound within 2 s of the stimulus was considered a positive response. The habituation rate was defined as the number of stimuli applied before the fetus stopped responding to two consecutive stimuli. Results were compared using the Mann-Whitney U-test.

Results: All 22 fetuses showed habituation at a rate that varied from 1 to 9 (mean 4.2±1.8).

Conclusion: BSR is a good marker of habituation in preterm fetuses. Further study is needed to ascertain whether abnormal BSR habituation could be a sign of fetal distress.

:

Corresponding author: Carlo V. Bellieni, M.D., 40 Terapia Neonatale, Policlinico Universitario “Le Scotte”, Viale M. Bracci, 53100, Siena/Italy.

References

1 Allister L, BM Lester, S Carr, J Liu: The effects of maternal depression on fetal heart rate response to vibroacoustic stimulation. Dev Neuropsychol20(3) (2001) 639Search in Google Scholar

2 Birnholz JC, BR Benacerraf: The development of human fetal hearing. Science222 (1983) 516Search in Google Scholar

3 Bolino F, V Manna, L Di Cicco, V Di Michele, E Daneluzzo, A Rossi, M Casacchia: Startle reflex habituation in functional psychoses: a controlled study. Neurosci Lett145(2) (1992) 126Search in Google Scholar

4 Brazelton TB: Touchpoints: Your child's emotional and behavioral development: birth–3: the essential reference for the early years. Perseus Publishing, New York 1992Search in Google Scholar

5 Campbell S: 4D, or not 4D: that is the question. Ultrasound Obstet Gynecol19(1) (2002) 1Search in Google Scholar

6 Doherty NN, PG Hepper: Habituation in fetuses of diabetic mothers. Early Hum Dev59 (2000) 85Search in Google Scholar

7 Gagnon R, C Hunse, L Carmichael, et al.: External vibratory acoustic stimulation near term: fetal heart rate and heart rate variability responses. Am J Obstet Gynecol156 (1987) 323Search in Google Scholar

8 Hepper PG, S Shahidullah: Habituation in normal and Down's syndrome fetuses. Q J Exp Psychol44B (3/4) (1992) 305Search in Google Scholar

9 Hepper PG: Fetal memory: does it exist? What does it do?Acta Paediatr416(Suppl) (1996) 1610.1111/j.1651-2227.1996.tb14272.xSearch in Google Scholar

10 Johansson B, E Wedenberg, B Westin: Fetal heart rate response to acoustic stimulation in relation to fetal development and hearing impairment. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand71 (1992) 610Search in Google Scholar

11 Kuhlman KA, KA Burns, R Depp, RE Sabbagha: Ultrasonic imaging of normal fetal response to external vibratory acoustic stimulation. Am J Obstet Gynecol158 (1988) 47Search in Google Scholar

12 Leader LR: The potential value of habituation in the prenate. In: Hill, A, JJ Volpe (eds): Fetal neurology. Raven Press, New York 1989Search in Google Scholar

13 Leader LR, P Baillie, B Martin, EF Vermeulen, et al.: Habituation in high-risk pregnancies. Br J Obstet Gynaecol89 (1982) 441Search in Google Scholar

14 Lee CY, PC Di Loreto, JM O'Lane: A study of fetal heart rate acceleration patterns. Obstet Gynecol1975; 45:142–6Search in Google Scholar

15 Lester BM, EZ Tronick, TB Brazelton: NICU network neurobehavioral scale procedures. Pediatrics113(3) (2004) 641Search in Google Scholar

16 Lewis M: Individual differences in the measurement of early cognitive growth. Exceptional infant 2. In: Hellmuth J (ed): Studies in abnormalities. Brunner Mazel, New York 1971, p. 172Search in Google Scholar

17 Martin CB Jr: Regulation of the fetal heart rate and genesis of FHR patterns. Semin Perinatol2 (1978) 131Search in Google Scholar

18 Meinke U, E Gouzoulis-Mayfrank, T Voss: The startle reflex in schizophrenia research. Nervenarzt72(11) (2001) 844Search in Google Scholar

19 Meinke U, D Morth, T Voss, E Gouzoulis-Mayfrank: Electromyographical differentiation between the acoustic blink and the startle reflex. Implications for studies investigating startle behavior. Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci252(3) (2002) 141Search in Google Scholar

20 Pietrantoni M, JL Angel, MT Parson, L McClain, HA Arango, WN Spellacy: Human fetal response to vibroacoustic stimulation as a function of stimulus duration. Obstet Gynecol78 (1991) 807Search in Google Scholar

21 Prechtl HF, C Einspieler: Is neurological assessment of the fetus possible?Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol75(1) (1997) 8110.1016/S0301-2115(97)00197-8Search in Google Scholar

22 Schicatano EJ, TD Blumenthal: The effects of caffeine and directed attention on acoustic startle habituation. Pharm Biochem Behav59(1) (1998) 145Search in Google Scholar

23 Taiminen T, S Jaaskelainen, T Ilonen, H Meyer, H Karlsson, H Lauerma, KM Leinonen, E Wallenius, A Kaljonen, RK Salokangas: Habituation of the blink reflex in first-episode schizophrenia, psychotic depression and non-psychotic depression. Schizophr Res44(1) (2000) 69Search in Google Scholar

24 Trierweiler MU, RK Freeman, J James: Baseline fetal heart rate characteristics as an indicator of fetal status during the antepartum period. Am J Obstet Gynecol125 (1976) 618Search in Google Scholar

25 van Heteren CF, PF Boekkooi, HW Jongsma, JG Nijhuis: Fetal habituation to vibroacoustic stimulation in relation to fetal states and fetal heart rate parameters. Early Hum Dev61 (2001) 135Search in Google Scholar

26 van Heteren CF, PF Boekkooi, RH Schiphorst, HW Jongsma, JG Nijhuis: Fetal habituation to vibroacoustic stimulation in uncomplicated post-term pregnancies. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol97(2) (2001) 178Search in Google Scholar

27 Westgren M, H Alstrom, M Nyman, U Ulmsten: Maternal perception of sound-provoked fetal movements: a measure of fetal well-being. Br J Obstet Gynaecol94 (1987) 523Search in Google Scholar

28 Yao QW, J Jakobsson, M Nyman, H Rabaeus, O Till, M Westgren: Fetal responses to different intensity levels of vibroacustic stimulation. Obstet Gynecol75 (1990) 206Search in Google Scholar

Published Online: 2005-06-01
Published in Print: 2005-01-01

©2005 by Walter de Gruyter Berlin New York

Articles in the same Issue

  1. Global approach to perinatal medicine: functional genomics and proteomics
  2. Fetal and maternal Doppler velocimetry and cytokines in high-risk pregnancy
  3. IL-8 concentrations in maternal serum, amniotic fluid and cord blood in relation to different pathogens within the amniotic cavity
  4. Placental pathology and pregnancy outcomes in donor and non-donor oocyte in vitro fertilization pregnancies
  5. Blink-startle reflex habituation in 30–34-week low-risk fetuses
  6. Analysis of fetal breathing movements at 30–38 weeks of gestation
  7. Influence of perinatal factors on hematological variables in umbilical cord blood
  8. The potential of four-dimensional (4D) ultrasonography in the assessment of fetal awareness
  9. Early prognostic significance of umbilical cord troponin I in critically ill newborns. Prospective study with a control group
  10. Is the use of early nasal CPAP associated with lower rates of chronic lung disease and retinopathy of prematurity? Nine years of experience with the Vermont Oxford Neonatal Network
  11. Fetal growth restriction associated with measles virus infection during pregnancy
  12. Prenatal diagnosis of hemifacial microsomia by magnetic resonance imaging
  13. Mega-dose carbamazepine complicating third trimester of pregnancy
  14. Meconium peritonitis secondary to torsion of fallopian tube cyst and transient central diabetes insipidus in a preterm infant
  15. Congenital syphilis: β2-microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid and diagnosis of neurosyphilis in an affected newborn
  16. Normalization of a severely abnormal ductus venosus Doppler flow velocity waveform in the presence of normal arterial flow parameters
Downloaded on 31.12.2025 from https://www.degruyterbrill.com/document/doi/10.1515/JPM.2005.005/pdf
Scroll to top button