OHSU discovery may someday lead to prevention and treatment of sudden infant death syndrome
Researchers at Oregon Health & Science University have discovered that brain cells commonly thought to play a supporting role actually are critically important for the growth of brainstem neurons responsible for cardiorespiratory control. The discovery has profound implications for the prevention and treatment of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome), the leading cause of death in children aged one month to one year.
In their study, the OHSU team looked at glial cells, non-neuronal cells of the brain, and found that they very potently regulate growth of nerve cells in the brainstem. In fact, the glial cells actually inhibit the growth of brainstem neurons and may be as important for establishing neuronal networks as neurotrophic factors, a family of proteins essential for brain growth and survival. The OHSU study is the first to find that glial cells inhibit nerve cell growth.
“Previous research has shown that a common feature of the brains of SIDS babies is a dramatically increased number of glial cells,” said Agnieszka Balkowiec, M.D., Ph.D., principal investigator and associate professor of integrative biosciences in the OHSU School of Dentistry. “Based on the results of our new study, the increase in glial cells in SIDS babies could be the cause of a compromised growth of brainstem neurons that control the cardiorespiratory function and, ultimately, cause death.”
The new study also shows that glial cells direct the growth of brainstem neurons caused by BDNF (Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor), another molecule found by the Balkowiec lab to play an important role in cardiorespiratory control.
“Our study shows that the picture is more complex than we had previously thought,” said Balkowiec. “A better understanding of interactions between BDNF and glial cells could play a significant role in the development of treatment for SIDS, high blood pressure, and other disorders with a deficient cardiorespiratory control.”
SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) Prevention Tips
Here are some tips for parents of infants that will keep their babies safe:
Sleep position: Baby sleeping on tummies were thought to be safer and less likely to choke but researches prove that babies should be placed on their backs while sleeping so there are less chances that their faces get covered with pillows and blankets. Even side sleeping should be avoided. Preemies are kept on their tummies or sides in the neonatal intensive care unit so they can breathe better but once they come home, you can put them on their backs too.
Good prenatal care: Women need and should be provided with best possible medical care while they are pregnant so that they and their babies keep healthy. They should be emphatically warned about the risks of smoking, use of drugs and alcohol. Prenatal care should also include education for the expectant mother on how to care for her new baby.
Proper bedding: Avoid soft and loose bedding such as beanbags, waterbeds, soft mattresses, sofas, quilts, comforters, sheepskins, pillow-like soft stuffed toys and fluffy pillows for the baby as they increase the risk for SIDS. Babies should sleep on firm mattresses and make sure that crib is free of the above-mentioned things when the baby is sleeping and that he is not over bundled. Also make sure that there is no smoke to suffocate the baby. You can replace blankets with a sleeper or other sleep clothing with no covering. If you still use the blanket, cover the baby only up to the baby’s chest and make sure that his head remains uncovered during sleep.
Room temperature: A baby’s room should neither be overheated nor too cold as infants are very sensitive to changes in temperature. Too warm rooms can cause baby to sleep so deeply that they may not be able to wake up in time, if they are having difficulty in breathing.
Diet: Breast fed babies are believed to have additional protection against infections that can cause SIDS in infants.
Bed sharing with parents: It is safer to make your baby sleep in his crib or a co-sleeping attachment in your bedroom than bed sharing with the baby until he is 6 months old. If you nurse your baby in bed, you can cuddle together and let him fall asleep there but put him down to sleep in his own crib before you go to sleep.
Secondhand smoke: Do not smoke or do not allow anyone to smoke near the baby or it may cause infections in their breathing tubes.
Electronic monitoring: Electronic devices can help the parents to listen to their babies while they are sleeping and raise an alarm if the baby stops breathing. However, they are not known to reduce the risk of SIDS but are recommended for babies who are known to be at greater risk for SIDS such as premature infants, infants with previous breathing problems or babies in families where there have been cases of SIDS already.
Daycare: Make sure that the daycare centers where you leave your baby also follow these rules and do not the babies to sleep on their tummies.
Pacifiers: Pacifiers can be an added protection for babies up to 6 months.
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Other study authors include: Jessica Martin, Ph.D., a recent graduate of the OHSU Neuroscience Graduate Program and the first author of the study, and Alexandra Brown, who is currently pursuing her Bachelor of Science degree at Brown University.
The study was supported by grants from the American Heart Association and the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health, and the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
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Sydney Clevenger
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Oregon Health & Science University