title: Active touch in late-preterm and early-term neonates.
abstract: An infant-controlled tactile habituation without visual control procedure was used to evaluate the ability of 32 late-preterm neonates (mean gestational age: 34 weeks) and 32 early-term neonates (mean gestational age: 38 weeks) to actively explore with hands objects varying in texture (smooth, granular). Holding time and Hand Pressure Frequency (HPF) were recorded. Holding time decreased as habituation progressed in both group of neonates. Holding time increased from habituation trials to test trials only in early-term neonates. A reaction to novelty was only observed in early-term neonates. During habituation, HPF remained unchanged in late-preterm infants whereas HPF decreased in early-term infants. HPF increased from habituation trials to test trials in early-term neonates and in late-preterm infants. However, reaction to novelty was only observed for early-term infants. The significance of these results is discussed in reference to brain maturation in preterm infants.
authors.affiliation: Psychologie des Actions Langagières et Motrices, Université de Caen-Basse Normandie, Esplanade de la Paix, EA4649, Caen F-14032, France. michele.molina@unicaen.fr.
authors.forename: Michèle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Molina
authors.forename: Coralie
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sann
authors.forename: Morgane
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: David
authors.forename: Yacine
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Touré
authors.forename: Bernard
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Guillois
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jouen
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006185:Habituation, Psychophysiologic / Q000502:physiology; D018737:Hand Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D008297:Male; D021641:Recognition, Psychology / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: active touch; early-term neonates; grasping; haptic exploration; late-preterm neonates; modulation