Could natural birth trigger brain boosting proteins in babies
Giving birth naturally triggers the release of a protein in the brain of newborns that improves brain development and function into adulthood, according to a new study reported in Science Daily.
Researchers at Yale School of Medicine looked at the effect of natural birth versus surgical deliveries in mice and found that natural birth triggered the release of a protein in the specific area of the brain responsible for short and long-term memory.
The same protein is also involved in the metabolism of fat, a key component of breast milk, also suggesting that the trigger of the protein aids the transition to breast feeding.
The study found that the same release of the protein did not occur in births via caesarian section
Tamas Horvath, lead researcher, described the results as revealing a potentially critical role of the protein in the proper development of brain circuits and related behaviours.
Tamas also said, “The increasing prevalence of C-sections driven by convenience rather than medical necessity may have a previously unsuspected lasting effect on brain development and function in humans as well."
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