Autonomic Nervous System Reactivity of the Newborn After a Nociceptive Stress: Interest of Sucrose and Non-nutritive Sucking

The management of the pain is a constant care concern in neonatal and maternity units. Many studies show an interest in the use of sugar solutions to reduce nociception during painful events in infants. However, these studies are based mainly on behavioral observation of the newborn but intrinsic mechanisms of analgesic power are not clearly understood for sucrose solutions. Our hypothesis is that the analgesic mechanism of sucrose solutions in infants involves a subcortical reactivity notably by action via the brain stem. To explore the intensity of pain and evaluate the subcortical activity, we will use 1) the analysis of heart rate variability (frequency indices whose HFnu) as a peripheral witness of subcortical functioning of the autonomic nervous system 2) electroacoustic analysis of the intensity of crying baby, 3) a composite pain score (DAN score).