Know More About Foetal Short-Term Memory

Prenatal

oi-Staff

By Staff

Monday, July 20, 2009, 10:52

Soon-to-be mother? Well, perhaps, this will get you thinking , at least for a while.

A recently conducted study by the researchers of Netherlands on foetus and pregnancy, found that the short-term memory of a foetus begins functioning at 30 weeks. Now don't start counting the days, read what it says.

That study, that offers insights into foetal development and may help address and prevent abnormalities, studied about 100 healthy pregnant Dutch women and their foetuses, measuring changes in how the foetus responds to repeated stimulation. They, later on, found out that receiving a number of stimuli, the foetus no longer responds to the stimulus as observed by ultrasonography and the stimulus is then accepted as 'safe'. This change in response is called 'habituation'.

In a second session, the foetus 'remembers' the stimulus and the number of stimuli needed for the foetus to habituate is then much smaller. It was found that the presence of foetal short-term memory of 10 minutes at 30 weeks.

Well to reach this consensus, it wasn't that difficult. They determined this because a significantly lower number of stimuli was needed to reach habituation in a second session, which was performed 10 minutes after the first session.

For the research, researchers tested the Foetuses at regular intervals, such as 30, 32, 34, and 36 weeks, and again at 38 weeks. Quite expectingly, the 34 and 36-week-old foetuses habituated much faster than the 38-week-old foetuses that had not been tested before.

This implies that these foetuses have a memory of at least 4 weeks. "A better understanding of the normal development of the foetal central nervous system," said the author "Will lead to more insight into abnormalities." He concluded by saying, "Understanding the cause and problems, will allow to prevent or do extra care in the first years of life and, as a consequence, fewer problems in later life."

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Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or a qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.