title: Suboptimal bonding impairs hormonal, epigenetic and neuronal development in preterm infants, but these impairments can be reversed.
abstract: This review aimed to raise awareness of the consequences of suboptimal bonding caused by prematurity. In addition to hypoxia-ischaemia, infection and malnutrition, suboptimal bonding is one of the many unnatural stimuli that preterm infants are exposed to, compromising their physiological development. However, the physiological consequences of suboptimal bonding are less frequently addressed in the literature than those of other threatening unnatural stimuli.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This review found that suboptimal bonding significantly impaired hormonal, epigenetic and neuronal development, but these impairments could be reversed by bonding interventions. This suggests that neonatal intensive care units should focus more on interventions that optimise bonding.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Máxima Medical Centre Veldhoven, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.|Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kommers
authors.affiliation: Department of Electrical Engineering, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.|Department of Gynaecology, Máxima Medical Centre Veldhoven, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Oei
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feijs
authors.affiliation: Department of Neonatology, Máxima Medical Centre Veldhoven, Veldhoven, The Netherlands.|Department of Industrial Design, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bambang Oetomo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D044127:Epigenesis, Genetic; D006728:Hormones / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007234:Infant, Premature / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000523:psychology*; D009474:Neurons / Q000502:physiology; D009769:Object Attachment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D006728:Hormones
keywords: Bonding; Development; Neonatal intensive care unit; Parent; Preterm infant