Scientists Discover Children’s Cells Living in Mothers’ Brains

Dec 4, 2012 |By Robert Martone The link between a mother and child is profound, and new research suggests a physical connection even deeper than anyone thought. The profound psychological and physical bonds shared by the mother and her child begin during gestation when the mother is everything for the developing fetus, supplying warmth and sustenance, while her heartbeat provides a soothing constant rhythm. The physical connection between mother and fetus is provided by the placenta, an organ, built of cells from both the mother and fetus, which serves as a conduit for the exchange of nutrients, gasses, and wastes. Cells may migrate through the placenta between the mother and the fetus, taking up residence in many organs of the body including the lung, thyroid muscle, liver, heart, kidney and skin. These may have a broad range of impacts, from tissue repair and cancer prevention to sparking immune disorders. It is remarkable that it is so common for cells from one individual to integrate into the tissues of another distinct person. We are accustomed to thinking of ourselves as singular autonomous individuals, and these foreign cells seem to belie that notion, and suggest that most people carry remnants of other individuals. As remarkable as this may be, stunning results from a new study show that cells from other individuals are also found in the brain. In this study, male cells were found in the brains of women and had been living there, in some cases, for several decades. What impact they may have had is now only a guess, but this study revealed that these cells were less common in the brains of women who had Alzheimer’s disease, suggesting they may be related to the health of the brain. We all consider our bodies to be our own unique being, so the notion that we may harbor cells from other people in our bodies seems strange. Even stranger is the thought that, although we certainly consider our actions and decisions as originating in the activity of our own individual brains, cells from other individuals are living and functioning in that complex structure. However, the mixing of cells from genetically distinct individuals is not at all uncommon. This condition is called chimerism after the fire-breathing Chimera from Greek mythology, a creature that was part serpent part lion and part goat. Naturally occurring chimeras are far less ominous though, and include such creatures as the slime mold and corals. Microchimerism is the persistent presence of a few genetically distinct cells in an organism. This was first noticed in humans many years ago when cells containing the male “Y” chromosome were found circulating in the blood of women after pregnancy. Since these cells are genetically male, they could not have been the women’s own, but most likely came from their babies during gestation. In this new study, scientists observed that microchimeric cells are not only found circulating in the blood, they are also embedded in the brain. They examined the brains of deceased women for the presence of cells containing the male “Y” chromosome. They found such cells in more than 60 percent of the brains and in multiple brain regions. Since Alzheimer’s disease is more common in women who have had multiple pregnancies, they suspected that the number of fetal cells would be greater in women with AD compared to those who had no evidence for neurological disease. The results were precisely the opposite: there were fewer fetal-derived cells in women with Alzheimer’s. The reasons are unclear. Microchimerism most commonly results from the exchange of cells across the placenta during pregnancy, however there is also evidence that cells may be transferred from mother to infant through nursing. In addition to exchange between mother and fetus, there may be exchange of cells between twins in utero, and there is also the possibility that cells from an older sibling residing in the mother may find their way back across the placenta to a younger sibling during the latter’s gestation. Women may have microchimeric cells both from their mother as well as from their own pregnancies, and there is even evidence for competition between cells from grandmother and infant within the mother. What it is that fetal microchimeric cells do in the mother’s body is unclear, although there are some intriguing possibilities. For example, fetal microchimeric cells are similar to stem cells in that they are able to become a variety of different tissues and may aid in tissue repair. One research group investigating this possibility followed the activity of fetal microchimeric cells in a mother rat after the maternal heart was injured: they discovered that the fetal cells migrated to the maternal heart and differentiated into heart cells helping to repair the damage. In animal studies, microchimeric cells were found in maternal brains where they became nerve cells, suggesting they might be functionally integrated in the brain. It is possible that the same may true of such cells in the human brain. These microchimeric cells may also influence the immune system. A fetal microchimeric cell from a pregnancy is recognized by the mother’s immune system partly as belonging to the mother, since the fetus is genetically half identical to the mother, but partly foreign, due to the father’s genetic contribution. This may “prime” the immune system to be alert for cells that are similar to the self, but with some genetic differences. Cancer cells which arise due to genetic mutations are just such cells, and there are studies which suggest that microchimeric cells may stimulate the immune system to stem the growth of tumors. Many more microchimeric cells are found in the blood of healthy women compared to those with breast cancer, for example, suggesting that microchimeric cells can somehow prevent tumor formation. In other circumstances, the immune system turns against the self, causing significant damage. Microchimerism is more common in patients suffering from Multiple Sclerosis than in their healthy siblings, suggesting chimeric cells may have a detrimental role in this disease, perhaps by setting off an autoimmune attack. ABOUT THE AUTHOR(S) Robert Martone is the Neuroscience therapeutic area lead for The Covance Biomarker Center of Excellence located in Greenfield, Indiana. He is a research scientist with extensive experience in drug discovery for neurodegenerative diseases.

Is a man's brain damaged in gestation?

Medical research studies have shown that in the womb, between the 18th and 26th week of gestation, something happens that forever separates the sexes. If the baby is to be a boy, a chemical bath of different sex-related hormones washes over the brain, causing several important changes that never happen to the brain of a baby girl. Quite simply, the hormones which flood a baby boy’s brain cause the right side of the brain to recede slightly and destroy some of the fibers that connect the two sides. And one result is that, in most cases, a baby boy starts life more left-brain oriented from birth. The left side of the brain houses more of the logical, analytical, factual, and aggressive centers of thought. What about little girls? From the moment of birth, because they don’t go through this chemical bath, little girls are more global or “two sided” in their thinking. Electrical impulses and messages go back and forth more quickly between both sides of a little girl’s brain. Females spend most of their time camped out on the right side of the brain. Over on that side are the centers for feelings and emotions, as well as the relational, language, and communication skills. “Now, wait a minute,” you may be saying. “Are you telling me that males are, therefore, brain damaged?” I guess that’s one way to put it. You might be interested to know about a Stanford study of children. An experimental laboratory was set up where children had opportunities to work at a number of different tasks, according to their choices. The researchers observed children for 20 minutes per child. The average time a girl worked at one task was 12.5 minutes; the average boy worked 6.5 minutes per task. Boys interrupted what they were doing almost twice as often as girls. Girls finished nearly everything they started; boys completed only half of their starts. For the boys, a new category had to be added: watching others. They spent 4.5 minutes “watching.” And the boys tackled twice as many three-dimensional tasks as girls attempted. One-third of the boys took toys apart; none of the girls did. Perhaps most interesting was that girls monitored their entire activity and time with speech, almost continuously. They offered advice and information, and asked for help. It was recorded that, “Boys used more noises, uttered commands and expletives, and used more abrupt phrases, such as, ‘Look at me.’” http://runningtheraceblog.squarespace.com/journal/2010/2/6/are-men-really-brain-damaged.html

How to become a Newborn Care Specialist

Take it Off: Why You Should Drop Your Newborn’s Hat

Not sure who wrote it but the references are below. Date: September 6, 2013 Little pink and blue striped stocking caps have become tradition for our babies. We assume they keep our babies warm, but have you ever questioned if they’re really effective (hint: they’re not)? In fact, those little caps could do more harm than good – here’s why. Baby Smell and Bonding Newborn babies have a wonderful, almost intoxicating smell. If you’ve had a baby, you know what I’m talking about. If you’re expecting your first, you’ll soon know that joy :) This smell isn’t just to make you sigh happily, however. It has an important biological function and it makes a strong case for taking the hat off your newborn. Mothers and babies are wired by nature to recognize each other’s smell. Your baby can recognize you on scent alone, and you can recognize your newborn on scent alone. These smells cause the two of you to bond strongly, right away. Nuzzling into your baby’s head feels natural because it’s essential to bonding and breastfeeding. Opt to be skin-to-skin with your baby, with no hat between you. You want to smell your baby, not fabric. A Safe Third Stage The smell of your new baby’s head isn’t just important for bonding, it’s important for your safety and baby’s well-being. The olfactory system expects certain cues right after your baby is born – these cues are supplied by the smell of your baby’s head as you snuggle with him or her after birth (it’s an even stronger cue than breastfeeding). This trigger to your olfactory system (and limbic system) cues a massive rush of oxytocin, the “mothering hormone.” Oxytocin causes your uterus to contract, which shears the placenta from the wall of the uterus and forces an instant constriction of the blood vessels that were running to the placenta. This means a safe, effective third stage of labor for you (Odent, 2013). This oxytocin high is also important for your mental well-being and for your baby. Your high levels of oxytocin increase your baby’s levels of oxytocin (in fact, they increase the oxytocin levels of everyone in the room!), which causes a stronger bond. It’s what’s responsible for the euphoria felt after natural childbirth – nature’s built-in safety and reward system. It’s triggered by snuggling and smelling your baby with no hat in the way. Keeping Baby Cozy Studies done decades ago proved conclusively that stocking caps do not help keep baby heads warm (Coles, 1979; McCall, 2010). They’re just ineffective. In fact, studies also show that the belief “we lose most of our heat through our heads” is also false (Pretorius, 2006). Hats on newborns may actually cause their heads to overheat. So how do we keep our newborn babies warm? Nature has the answer, and NICU units around the world already use it: you keep your baby warm. That’s right, your body keeps your baby’s body at the correct temperature. It was designed to. In fact, you not only keep your baby’s temperature regulated, you also regulate your baby’s breathing pattern, heart rate, and even blood sugar levels (Ludington-Hoe, 2006). All of that magic happens when your baby is skin-to-skin with you and your body adjusts your temperature to keep your baby at the perfect temperature. NICU units call it “kangaroo care” – it works with preemies and full-term babies. Keep your newborn skin-to-skin on your chest. A blanket can go over both of you to keep you cozy, and no hat needs to come between you and that powerful, precious baby smell. Sources Odent, Michel. “Preventing Postpartum Haemorrhage.” Midwifery Today. Spring 2013: 18-19. E C Coles, H B Valman Br Med J. 1979 September 22; 2(6192): 734–735. McCall EM, Alderdice F, Halliday HL, Jenkins JG, Vohra S. Interventions to prevent hypothermia at birth in preterm and/or low birthweight infants. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2010, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD004210. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004210.pub4 Thea Pretorius, Gerald K. Bristow, Alan M. Steinman, and Gordon G. Giesbrecht Thermal effects of whole head submersion in cold water on nonshivering humans J Appl Physiol August 2006 101:669-675; published ahead of print April 13, 2006, doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.01241.2005 Ludington-Hoe SM, Lewis T, Morgan K, Cong X, Anderson L, Reese S. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs. 2006 Mar-Apr;35(2):223-31.

How to bath a baby

Organic formula - Which is the safest - Great article

http://foodbabe.com/2013/05/28/how-to-find-the-safest-organic-infant-formula/

Water for newborns?????

We are a little concerned about the issue of giving newborns water. After much research we have found that although water is the healthiest liquid an older baby or adult can intake, plain water without formula can cause some concern for newborns. Before babies are taking in solids they are receiving the essential water in formula and breast milk. Too much water before this time can lead to 'water intoxication'. Water intoxication is a process through which a baby loses sodium and electrolytes. If they are taken in too much water they will loose too much sodium. The sodium levels in their blood can be drastically reduced causing brain swelling, unresponsiveness, seizures and just plain old irritability. These symptoms will stop as soon as the electrolytes are brought back into balance in the infant's body. When you have an infant or newborn that has become dehydrated through a bout of vomiting or diarrhea, and they need to be re-hydrated fast. Remember that babies and water don't mix and not give water to an infant, but rather beverages such as breast milk, formula or perhaps a re-hydration solution (ask you health care professional). When a child gets a little older (on solids) coconut milk is a great hydrator. What about hot weather? During the summer your baby may need a little extra hydration between feedings. As long as you are not substituting meals for water you may offer 2 – 4 ounces of water between feedings. Signs of dehydration? http://www.babycentre.co.uk/a557531/dehydration#ixzz2bmfGvvWK dry skin or lips a sunken fontanelle (the soft spot on the top of your baby's head) fewer wet nappies than usual sunken eyes tearless crying dark yellow urine lethargy and drowsiness rapid breathing cold and blotchy-looking hands and feet