BEHAVIORAL AND ADRENOCORTICAL RESPONSES TO STRESS IN NEONATES AND THESTABILIZING EFFECTS OF MATERNAL HEARTBEAT ON THEM

Adrenocortical response to stress in neonates was assessed by estimati ng salivary concentrations of cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-S). Behavioral responses to s tress were also scored clinically, according to the method of Lewis an d Thomas [15]. The modulation of these measures by hearing maternal he artbeat was also evaluated. Levels of cortisol and DHEA in saliva in n eonates correlated well with those of serum showing significant variat ion in painful stress. Hearing the maternal heartbeat significantly re duced the grade of variation, but the recorded sound of the Japanese d rum with the same rhythm showed no significant effect. Scores of the b ehavioral response to stress also decreased significantly in neonates who were presented with the maternal heartbeat in comparison with thos e hearing no sound or the beat of a Japanese drum.