Even by phone, listen to the voice of the mother calms the nerves of their children

(www.neomundo.com.ar) A simple telephone call could calm the nerves of children. Listen to the voice of the mother would be sufficient if a girl eager to feel relieved, he concluded a new Studio.

The scientists of the University of Wisconsin-Madison (United States) explained that the key could be in oxytocin, a hormone related to emotional contact between people. “It was believed that the release of oxytocin in a social context required physical contact, but our results clearly show that the mother’s voice may have the same effect as a hug,” said Leslie Seltzer, the lead author.

A voice for the anxiety

Seltzer worked with children from 7 to 12 years and asked them to do a series of tests against a panel full of strangers. Faced with this situation of evaluation, the girls felt a strong anxiety and as a result increased in their blood levels of cortisol, a hormone strongly associated with stress.

A third of girls received the comfort of their mothers, who came to embrace them and to alleviate them. Another third looked for 75 minutes a video without emotional content, while a group received a call from MOM phone.

“Girls who interacted with their mothers had virtually the same hormonal response, either with physical contact in person or by listening to the voice on the phone,” said Seltzer. In both cases, the level of oxytocin increased while that of cortisol decreased.

The authors stressed that this effect lasted longer than expected. “The benefits continued even after the stressful task was completed.” “When the boys went to their homes still felt relieved and cortisol levels were still low,” argued.

Seth Pollak, another author, commented that “for many years I watched as the students call from their cell phones as soon as they finish a review.” “For a long time I wondered how parents can encourage such behaviour, but I see that I might be a quick way to make young people feel better.”

The specialist concluded: “It is difficult to climb the oxytocin.” “A simple telephone call to have this physiological effect on levels of this hormone is very exciting.”

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