Impact of touch interventions on brain activity in moderately preterm infants: study protocol for a pilot randomised controlled trial.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Improving the quality of life for preterm children is a global health priority, given their vulnerability to neurocognitive impairments and adverse health consequences. Lack of posthospital care further exacerbates these risks, necessitating effective interventions during the neonatal period. This protocol for a pilot study aims to investigate the effects of touch interventions, including physiotherapy and osteopathic manipulative treatment, on brain activity in moderately preterm infants using brain functional MRI (fMRI), computerised EEG and metabolomics.

Methods and analysis

A 3-arm randomised sham-controlled trial will be conducted with 15 infants per experimental group. The study will include stable preterm infants born between 32.0 and 33.6 weeks of gestat

SUBMITTER: Manzotti A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12570928 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature