Psychosomatic Differentiation in Infancy

Abstract

Multiple autonomic nervous system indices analyzed in terms of stability or lability were obtained under conditions of stimulation and non-stimulation in a group of newborn infants. Individual differences existed within the first few days of life using any single index, and a normal distribution curve was obtained. However the same individuals can show reversed degree of homeostasis when another index is used as the criterion. Possibly every newborn infant may have at least one "vulnerable" component of the autonomic nervous system whose response to environmental alteration shows a capacity for more lability.