Maturation of peripheral nerves in preterm infants. Motor and proprioceptive nerve conduction.
The peripheral nerve maturation (proprioceptive and motor nerve conduction velocities (PNCV and MNCV] was studied in 3 groups of newborn babies. Two groups of premature babies (PT), studied when they reached the expected date of birth (group I, gestational age (GA) at birth 27-31 weeks, n = 13, group II, GA at birth 32-35 weeks, n = 9), were compared to 10 normal full-term newborns (FT). The MNCV of PT babies was similar to that of FT babies: group I 22.8 +/- 3.3 m/sec (X +/- S.D.), group II 24.9 +/- 4.3 m/sec, FT 25.7 +/- 3.9 m/sec. PNCV was significantly lower in group I (18.1 +/- 5.9 m/sec) than in group II (28.3 +/- 6.4 m/sec) and in FT babies (32.0 +/- 7.4 m/sec) (P less than 0.001). Such a delay in maturation could be partly responsible for the neurological impairment often observed in PT babies.
Département de Pédiatrie, C.H.R.U., Caen, France.
D
D
Bougle
P
P
Denise
H
H
Yaseen
S
S
Tranier
J
J
Voirin
M
M
Pottier
R
R
Venezia
D006181:H-Reflex / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D009068:Movement; D009431:Neural Conduction / Q000502:physiology*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology*; D011434:Proprioception / Q000502:physiology*