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The effects of vestibular stimulation rate and magnitude of acceleration on central pattern generation for chest wall kinematics in preterm infants

Journal of Perinatology volume 32, pages 614–620 (2012)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To examine the role of vestibular inputs on respiratory and oromotor systems in healthy preterm infants.

Study Design:

A total of 27 preterm infants were quasi-randomly assigned to either the VestibuGlide treatment or control groups. VestibuGlide infants were held in a developmentally supportive position, given a pacifier and received a series of vestibular stimuli, counterbalanced across rate and acceleration conditions, 15 min 3 times per day for 10 days. The control infants were also held in a developmentally supportive position, given a pacifier for 15 min 3 times per day for 10 days but did not receive the VestibuGlide stimulation.

Result:

A multi-level regression model revealed that treatment infants increased their respiratory rate in response to vestibular stimulus, and that the highest level of vestibular acceleration delivered to the infants (0.51 ms−2) resulted in a significant increase in breaths per minute.

Conclusion:

Vestibular stimulation delivered to preterm infants before scheduled feeds effectively modulates respiratory rate and resets the respiratory central pattern generator.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by grants NIH R01 DC003311-08 (SMB), NIH P30 HD02528 and NIH P30 DC005803. The authors express gratitude to Douglas Kieweg, BS (Center for Biobehavioral Neuroscience of Communication Disorders) for software design, Jaehoon Lee, PhD, for statistical assistance, Joan Wang, MSEE, for computer engineering support, as well as the many families who participated in this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Speech-Language-Hearing: Sciences and Disorders, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    E Zimmerman & S M Barlow

  2. Department of Neuroscience, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    S M Barlow

  3. Department of Human Biology, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    S M Barlow

  4. Department of Bioengineering, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS, USA

    S M Barlow

Authors
  1. E Zimmerman
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  2. S M Barlow
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Correspondence to E Zimmerman.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Zimmerman, E., Barlow, S. The effects of vestibular stimulation rate and magnitude of acceleration on central pattern generation for chest wall kinematics in preterm infants. J Perinatol 32, 614–620 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/jp.2011.177

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