Early stress experienced by babies when sick can have an adverse effect on heart health, impeding the ability to relax as well as the process of refilling the heart with oxygen-rich blood.
As revealed by a study conducted on rat pups who were separated from their mothers, Dr. Catalina Bazacliu, a neonatologist at the Children’s Hospital of Georgia, said, “We expected the heart’s ability to relax and refill to lag behind in our model. We believe these babies may be at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and we are working to understand exactly what puts them at risk.”
As mentioned earlier, these findings were made when the rat pups were seperated from their mothers for two hours every day, in order to increase their blood pressure. In monitoring their basic heart function, it was found to be low both in terms of relaxation as well as with the refilling process and these reductions continued to occur at the ages of two and six.
Conversely, the rate of release of blood from the heart remained consistent along with the release of angiotensin II,a stressor that is known as a constrictor of blood vessels.
In an earlier study conducted by Bazacliu, she used another animal model so as to explain that those babies whose growth was stopped due to health issues experience in pregnancy by mothers, namely blood pressure, were at a greater risk of suffering from cardiovascular disease as adults.
Alternatively, and based on the findings of this study, she concludes that neonatal intensive care units, which have been designed to save and treat premature babies, are also a source of stress, being seperated from the mother.
A moussaka in your own kitchen is a great way to taste some Mediterranean flavors. Alternations of soft eggplant, seasoned ground meat, and creamy béchamel characterize this richly flavored dish with hearty elements commonly found in Greek and Middle Eastern cuisine. Here is how you can prepare this timeless recipe step by step. Manakish Oven…
