2010 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

Inaudible high-frequency components of infant crying affect the breast hemodynamics of lactating mothers

Research Project

Project/Area Number	21792265
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
Allocation Type	Single-year Grants
Research Field	Lifelong developmental nursing
Research Institution	Nagasaki University
Principal Investigator	INOUE Takao Nagasaki University, 大学院・医学系研究科, 学術研究員 (80513225)
Project Period (FY)	2009 – 2010
Keywords	聴覚 / 乳汁分泌 / NIRS / Hypersonic Effect
Research Abstract	In this study, we used noninvasive physiological measurement of blood flow responses to provide evidence that infant crying sounds containing high-frequency components (HFCs) above the audible range significantly affect the breast blood flow of lactating mothers. None of the subjects recognized the HFC as sound when it was presented alone. Nevertheless, the values of oxy-hemoglobin concentration using NIRS (near-infrared stereoscopy) recorded from the both breasts significantly increased when the subjects were exposed to full-range sound compared with an otherwise identical sound from which the HFC was removed. Physiological evaluation indicates that the subjects felt the infant crying sounds containing an HFC below the level of consciousness. It might be important for normal biological communication between mother and child during the period when lactation is establishing.

(5 results)