The effects of vestibular stimulation rate and magnitude of acceleration on central pattern generation for chest wall kinematics in preterm infants

Abstract

Objective: To examine the role of vestibular inputs on respiratory and oromotor systems in healthy preterm infants.

Study design: A total of 27 preterm infants were quasi-randomly assigned to either the VestibuGlide treatment or control groups. VestibuGlide infants were held in a developmentally supportive position, given a pacifier and received a series of vestibular stimuli, counterbalanced across rate and acceleration conditions, 15 min 3 times per day for 10 days. The control infants were also held in a developmentally supportive position, given a pacifier for 15 min 3 times per day for 10 days but did not receive the VestibuGlide stimulation.

Result: A multi-level regression model revealed that treatment infants increased their respiratory rate in response to vestibular stimulus, and that the highest level of vestibular acceleration delivered to the infants (0.51 ms(-2)) resulted in a significant increase in breaths per minute.

Conclusion: Vestibular stimulation delivered to preterm infants before scheduled feeds effectively modulates respiratory rate and resets the respiratory central pattern generator.

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The authors have nothing to disclose and there are no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1

Front view of VestibuGlide system.

Figure 2

Infant sucking on Soothie™ pacifier during VestibuGlide stimulation. The infant’s Soothie™ pacifier is attached to a Delrin receiver necessary to measure suck displacement. A uniaxial accelerometer (white arrow) was also attached to the Delrin receiver.