Association between autonomic and motoric systems in the preterm infant.

In the clinical setting, fetal and infant movement is used as an indicator of central nervous system and neurobehavioral developmental status. Current models of neurobehavioral development include the synactive theory of neonatal behavioral organization, which defines and describes the interaction between five subsystems. Results of testing synchronous interaction between two of those systems--the autonomic and motoric subsystems in preterm infants--are reported here.