DIFFERENTIAL RESPONSE TO INTRAORAL SUCROSE, QUININE AND CORN-OIL IN CRYING HUMAN NEWBORNS

Intraoral sucrose induces rapid and sustained calm in crying newborns and transiently increases mouthing and hand-mouth contact. To determin e whether these effects are specific to sucrose and to explore which p roperties of orogustatory stimuli might contribute to this effect, 60 crying newborns were randomized to receive 250 ul of 24% sucrose solut ion, 0.25% quinine hydrochloride solution, or corn oil as well as wate r in a mixed parallel crossover design. Relative to water, sucrose per sistently reduced crying, and transiently increased mouthing and hand- mouth contact as previously demonstrated. While quinine produces a ''d isgust'' face in calm infants, in crying infants it transiently decrea sed crying and increased mouthing, but did not affect hand-mouth conta ct. Corn oil had no specific effect on crying, mouthing or hand-mouth contact. The results imply that crying newborns respond differentially to orogustatory stimuli, that taste ''salience'' rather than positive hedonic valence may account for initial crying reduction and increase d mouthing, and that these behavioral effects are not induced by at le ast one lipid nutrient. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.