We were hounored to be featured on RTS with a video that sheds light on our pioneering research on baby sleep, brain physiology, and the gut microbiome.
Here is the video (from minute 8 the EEG assessment is shown)
With the invaluable support of families, this ongoing research demonstrated by Matthieu Beaugrand applies a non-invasive approach at a families home using an EEG (electroencephalogram). By measuring the brain’s activity during infant sleep, we can compute how brain regions are connected and thus study the growth of the most important circuit that guides our behaviour throughout life.
The video also addresses the issue of how sleep is related to gut bacteria.
Our research has shown that babies with less diverse gut bacteria sleep comparably more during the day. And sleep patterns at night also correlate with the types of bacteria present. Through EEG measurements, we know that sleep, gut bacteria and brain activity develop dynamically in parallel during the first year of life. In other words, infants with different gut bacteria profiles also have different brain activity when they sleep. This relationship is most pronounced at three months of age, indicating a sensitive period. This period is of great importance for predicting later behavioral and developmental outcomes based on sleep patterns and bacterial markers.
This research only enhances our understanding of infant development but also introduces new avenues for potential treatments, such as pediatric sleep education or targeted adjustment of babies’ mealtimes to build overall regularities in daily life. This proactive approach keeps us motivated to work hard and build the knowledge needed to safeguard long-term neurodevelopment.
How can you help?
We have ongoing studies where you can get active – email us for more information babysleep@unifr.ch
We are genuinely humbled by the opportunity to share our work with a broader audience. A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to the RTS team for their dedication and professionalism in bringing this journey of discovery to life on the screen.
Thanks: Mahmud Ahsan for the picture