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Artificial gastric distention and neonatal feeding and hunger reflexes

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Abstract

This paper reports on an experiment, using a gastric balloon, to determine whether the hunger and feeding reflexes would be affected by artificial distention of the gastric walls in newborn infants. The hunger reflex was terminated when the gastric walls were distended by increased air volume in the gastric balloon, and the feeding reflex was initiated by this. Removing the air from the gastric balloon led to cessation of the feeding reflex and the induction of the hunger reflex. The experiment confirms that the human newborn's feeding and hunger reflexes are present from birth and mirror its state of satiation or hunger, respectively.

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References

  1. Sugar M: Feeding and hunger reflexes in human neonates.J Am Acad Child Psychiatry 15:269–277, 1976.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

    Max Sugar M.D. (Clinical Professor)

  2. Department of Pediatrics, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana

    Gene Gates M.D. (Senior Fellow in Neonatology)

Authors
  1. Max Sugar M.D.
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  2. Gene Gates M.D.
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Additional information

The author wishes to thank Dr. Shelley Jones, Pediatric Resident, and Mr. Patrick R. Joffery, Psysiology Instructor, Louisiana State University Medical Center, New Orleans, Louisiana, for the assistance in this study.

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Sugar, M., Gates, G. Artificial gastric distention and neonatal feeding and hunger reflexes. Child Psych Hum Dev 9, 206–209 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01433695

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01433695

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