Editorial: Neonatal Pain

Abstract

Neonates exposed to painful stimuli are highly susceptible to acute, and long-term consequences of pain that negatively affect their psychological, emotional, behavioural, and cognitive development [6]. Animal model studies for neonatal pain have showed that persistent or repetitive pain increases apoptosis of neurone that could results in anxiety-disorders later in life [7]. In humans, the pain transmission and pain modulation pathways usually start developing from 22nd week of gestation and are fully developed till the age of 2 months [8]. It has been found that neonates subjected to nociceptive stimuli during this vulnerable period undergo long-term epigenetic changes, which affect their brain, neurodevelopment, pain modulation, and pain reactivity into adulthood [9]. Studies reported a strong association between neonatal pain/stress and altered IQ at age of seven years, probably due to irreversible changes in brain microstructure [10]. In a longitudinal cohort study of neonates (from birth to schoolage), it was found that painful experience in neonatal period is linked to the altered spontaneous oscillatory brain activity, which correlates with the visual problem-solving abilities later in life [11]. Procedural pain in preterm neonates is also found to be closely related to cognitive and learning disorders that surface later in life [12]. Therefore, for humanitarian reason it is very important to develop an effective and safe pain management strategy for treating neonatal pain and distress.