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Hippocampal volume and cognitive performance in children with congenital heart disease

Nadja Naef1, Amélie Ciernik1, Beatrice Latal1,2

  • 1Child Development Center, University Children's Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.

Pediatric Research
|January 7, 2023
PubMed

Insights

School-age children with congenital heart disease (CHD) have lower IQ and working memory. Smaller hippocampal volume in these children is linked to lower IQ, suggesting the hippocampus is vulnerable and contributes to cognitive deficits.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Pediatric Cardiology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Congenital heart disease (CHD) is linked to brain abnormalities, with the hippocampus showing particular vulnerability to hypoxia and inflammation.
  • Limited data exists on hippocampal volume and cognitive function in school-age children with CHD.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between hippocampal volume, cognitive function (IQ and working memory), and neurodevelopmental assessment in school-age children with CHD.
  • To explore the potential contribution of the hippocampus to cognitive impairments in children with CHD.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 17 children with CHD who underwent cardiopulmonary bypass surgery and 14 healthy controls were assessed at 10 years of age.
  • Neurodevelopmental assessments measured IQ and working memory, while cerebral MRI quantified hippocampal volume.

Main Results:

  • Children with CHD exhibited significantly lower IQ (98 vs. 112) and poorer working memory performance compared to controls.
  • After adjusting for total brain volume, hippocampal volume was significantly smaller in children with CHD (P < 0.01).
  • Smaller hippocampal volume correlated with lower IQ (P = 0.04) and digit span scaled score (P = 0.03).

Conclusions:

  • The hippocampus appears particularly susceptible in children with CHD, potentially contributing to observed cognitive impairments.
  • Further research is warranted to elucidate the hippocampus's specific role in cognitive deficits associated with CHD.
Abstract

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