According to the latest research, the abnormality in the brain's control of head and neck movement, breathing, heartbeat and the body's responses to deprivation of oxygen supplied, could be the reason why some babies sleeping on their front are more at risk of sudden infants death syndrome SIDS.
SIDS is so devastating because it occurs with no warning and no obvious signs of illness, the exact cause of death in SIDS has not been identified, multiple studies have pointed to a subset of SIDS babies that are not entirely 'normal' before death. These infants all seem to have some form of underlying vulnerability, exposing them to increased risk.
Abnormality within key regions of the brainstem in SIDS babies, specifically in parts of the brainstem that control breathing and movements of the head and neck. This abnormality is directly linked to SIDS cases.
The abnormality is in the transmission in the brain of a neuro-peptide, known as "substance P", and its binding with an associated neuroreceptor, "neurokinin-1" (NK1R).
Substance P and the NK1R neuroreceptor play a critical role in the brain's control of the respiratory system, the cardiovascular system, and in how the body responds to hypoxia- deprivation of oxygen at the cell level. An infant with this abnormality is likely to have impaired respiratory and motor responses to life-threatening challenges during sleep.
Abnormality is a key reason why it is more dangerous for babies to sleep on their front.
If a child has this underlying vulnerability in its brain chemistry, and its breathing becomes compromised by sleeping on its front, that child is at greater risk of death because its body cannot respond in the normal way. The baby can't lift its head, and its breathing and heartbeat will be compromised.
The study has shown that the abnormality in substance P is significantly influenced by prematurity and male sex, which may explain the increased risk of SIDS in premature and male infants.
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