The effects of glucose on the memory and attention of newborn human infants /

• Main Author: Horne, Pamela.
• Other Authors: Young, Simon N. (advisor)
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: McGill University 1999
• Subjects: Newborn infants > Nutrition.; Newborn infants > Psychology.; Blood sugar.; Attention in newborn infants.
• Online Access: http://digitool.Library.McGill.CA:80/R/?func=dbin-jump-full&object_id=30668

The objective of this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was to determine whether glucose enhanced memory for a repeated auditory stimulus in human newborns. Infants consumed water or glucose (2-g/kg) solution. Memory test phases were: Orientation (turning towards the stimulus); Habituation (not turning towards), indicating familiarity; Delay (100 seconds); Spontaneous Recovery (stimulus representation: not turning towards indicates remembering, while turning towards indicates forgetting), and Novelty (turning towards a different word confirms wakefulness). Decreased head-turning towards during Spontaneous Recovery indicates enhanced memory. Blood glucose levels were measured after testing. === "Glucose" infants had higher blood glucose levels than "water" infants (p < 0.001). "Glucose" infants had significantly decreased turns towards during Spontaneous Recovery compared to "water" infants (p = 0.008), indicating memory enhancement. === Therefore, glucose specifically enhances memory for a repeated auditory stimulus in newborn humans. Elevating blood glucose levels by approximately 2 mmol/L appears to be sufficient for memory enhancement in healthy newborns.