Sudden death is one of the ghosts that most terrify the parents of babies. Although more and more risk factors associated with this syndrome are known, many questions remain to be resolved. A new investigation seems to have discovered the brain process involved in sudden infant death.
It is not yet known what triggers it, that is why, but we know something new about the mechanism that would occur in the baby's brain.
The study conducted by researchers at Macquarie University in Sydney (Australia) and published in the journal The Journal of Physiology sheds light on areas of the brain that might be involved in sudden infant death syndrome, also known as "white death."
They have identified the extremely complex coordination of two areas of the brain that work together to control breathing and swallowing, to allow breathing without suffocation. And they believe that a failure in this mechanism could be behind sudden infant death syndrome.
When it works normally, before an irritating agent joins the vocal cords and starts the cough and swallowing. It is a vital protective reflex so as not to suffocate us, and more so in babies, who usually regurgitate fluids and accumulate saliva in their throat.
The mechanism could interrupt that reflex, for an unknown cause, and cause breathing to stop for long periods. Shortness of breath causes a decrease in blood oxygen levels, the blood rate slows down and the blood is redirected to the brain, causing brain damage and even death.
The next step is to know why these regions decide not to act by canceling that protective response that prevents the irritating agent (saliva, liquid or any other) from entering the lungs. Abnormalities in this reflex could underlie a variety of life-threatening conditions, including sudden infant death (SIDS).
In a way, the research supports the theory that the use of the pacifier could reduce the risk of sudden death, since by sucking the pacifier, the baby moves the tongue forward and causes the airways to open more.
They are all discoveries that although they are not conclusive, they are slowly approaching to unravel this phenomenon that continues to be the cause of death of between 1 and 3 infants per 2000.
