Brains in tune
I brains of mom and baby they can work together synchronizing brain waves when they interact. The level of connectivity of the brain waves varies by emotional state of mom: when mothers express positive emotions, their brain becomes more connected with the baby's brain and this does not promotes learning.
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What does the research consist of
The research, published in the journal NeuroImage, used a method called double electroencephalography (EEG) to observe brain signals in both mothers and babies as they interacted with each other. It turned out that the moms and babies tend to synchronize their brain waves, an effect known as interpersonal neural connectivity. Using a mathematical method of neural network analysis, the researchers could see how information flowed within each brain separately and also how the two brains operated together as a network. Mom and baby tend to spend a lot of time together in a positive emotional state, in which their brains are very connected. The study found that the positive interaction, which includes the eye contact, improves the ability of the two brains to operate as one system.
Says Dr. Vicky Leong of the University of Cambridge Psychology Department, who led the study:
"From our previous work, we know that when the neural connection between mothers and babies is strong, babies are more receptive and ready to learn from their mothers. At this stage of life, the baby's brain has the ability to change significantly. and these changes are experience-driven. By using a positive emotional state during social interactions, parents can better connect with their children and stimulate the development of the child's mental abilities. "
What if mom is depressed?
The study results also suggest that, conversely, children of depressed mothers may be less motivated to learn due to a weak neural connection between mom and baby. Mothers who suffer from a persistent mental state negative due to clinical depression, they tend to have fewer interactions with their baby. Their speech is often flatter in tone, they make much less eye contact, and they are less likely to respond when their child tries to get their attention.
Says Dr. Leong:
"Our emotions literally change the way our brains share information with others - positive emotions help us communicate in a much more efficient way. Depression can have a severely negative effect on a parent's ability to connect with. your child. All the social cues that normally foster connection are less readily available to the child, who therefore does not receive the optimal emotional input he needs. "
The importance of emotional communication
La emotional communication between parents and children it is essential during early childhoodbut little is known about its neural basis. Like "social animals," humans share emotional states with others. This study shows how emotions are capable of change the connection between two individuals at the neural level. The researchers say their findings apply to many other types of bonds in which one person is highly attuned to the other, such as couples, close friends, and siblings. This bond is likely to depend on how well the two people know each other and the level of trust between them.
Fonte: Emotional valence modulates the topology of the parent-infant inter-brain network
Read also: Breathing exercises for slightly stressed momsTAG:
- happy moms
- mum
- brain
- learning
- newborn 0-3 months
