title: Pre- and perinatal predictors of startle eye blink reaction and prepulse inhibition in healthy neonates.
abstract: The present study examined the startle eye blink reflex and prepulse inhibition (PPI) in 65 healthy term-born neonates. Although the startle eye blink is already present at birth, some relevant neuronal structures are not fully mature. We therefore investigated the relationship between prenatal maturation and perinatal stress experience on startle eye blink and PPI. Eye blinks were evoked by unilaterally presented acoustic broadband white noise (50 ms, 95 dB, prepulse 75 dB). Startle response magnitude and percent PPI were calculated for ipsilateral and contralateral side of stimulation. Neonates exhibited stronger startle responses ipsilaterally than contralaterally, and a significant PPI. Neonates with more prenatal growth and less perinatal stress had greater startle magnitudes. Neonates with more stress had more PPI contralaterally. Results suggest that startle eye blinks may be useful as indicators of prenatal maturation and perinatal stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Basel, NCCR SESAM, Basel, Switzerland. h.huggenberger@unibas.ch
authors.forename: Harriet J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Huggenberger
authors.forename: Susanne E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Suter
authors.forename: Terry D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Blumenthal
authors.forename: Hartmut
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Schachinger
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D001767:Blinking / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013216:Reflex, Startle / Q000502:physiology*; D055139:Sensory Gating / Q000502:physiology*