The Tactile Stimulation At Birth
Tactile manipulation at birth could cause behavioral changes in the longer term, according to a study conducted by researchers at the Laboratory of Animal and Human Ethology CNRS, published in Biology Letters Thursday, December 9. According to the study, these tactile stimuli are important for neurological and behavioral development and may play a role in the organization of brain asymmetry.
CNRS researchers have analyzed the effects of tactile manipulation “unilateral” in 28 newborn foals. In total, 10 of these infants were handled on the right immediately after birth, while 9 were handled on the left side and 9 others have not benefited from manipulation.
This work has highlighted the fact that the animals stimulated the right side tended to avoid contact with humans, compared to those handled or left unmanipulated.
“These results show that tactile stimuli at birth have an impact in the medium term whose importance depends, among others, the side where they are applied. (…) Now, scientists are interested in this way sensitivity among newborns in maternity wards, with the goal of ultimately improving neonatal care in humans and therefore the well-being of toddlers, “state the principal authors of the study.