SSEH3345 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Cortisol, Childbirth, Blood Sugar
16 Jun 2019
School
Department
Course
Professor
Document Summary
Impact of birth (birth process, physiological changes, neural changes) 1: reflexes (simple, conditioned, infantile - survival and postural, development of voluntary movement (birth to 6 months) Not very, at 38 weeks, most mature structures are brainstem and spinal cord. Human brains are proportionately far bigger than any other species. If brain was more mature, we would not fit through birth canal. Hence, humans are born premature: mechanics of childbirth, change in brain size and weight, how does birth impact neuromotor development, cortisol, apgar assessment. Head turns back 45 degree so shoulders can come through. Causes increase in cortisol (increase bp, increase blood sugar) Things that the infant could do in utero may be lost. Normally, stress stimulates release of cortisol by adrenal gland. When levels of cortisol rise brain has a feedback response to turn off cortisol producing mechanism. Feedback response is not fully developed in infants. Elderly also lose this feedback response - causes degenerative cascade.
