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Heart-brain axis: Association of congenital heart abnormality and brain diseases

Leihao Sha1, Yajiao Li2, Yunwu Zhang3

  • 1Department of Neurology, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China.

Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine
|April 17, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Congenital heart abnormalities increase adult brain disease risk. This review links heart conditions to stroke, dementia, and epilepsy, but intervention benefits remain unclear.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Cardiology
  • Public Health

Background:

  • Brain diseases pose a significant global health challenge with poorly understood developmental pathways.
  • The heart-brain axis describes the link between cardiovascular health and brain function, with heart dysfunction implicated in many neurological conditions.
  • Congenital heart abnormalities (CHAs), a common treatable cardiovascular disease, are increasingly associated with adverse neurological outcomes in adulthood despite improved surgical survival.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize current clinical literature on the association between congenital heart abnormalities and the development of brain diseases in adulthood.
  • To elucidate the complex relationship within the heart-brain axis concerning CHAs and neurological conditions.

Main Methods:

  • A comprehensive review of existing clinical literature was conducted.
  • Studies examining the link between congenital heart abnormalities and various brain diseases were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • Congenital heart abnormalities are associated with a wide spectrum of brain diseases, including stroke, migraine, dementia, central nervous system infections, epilepsy, white matter lesions, and affective disorders.
  • Evidence suggests a significant correlation between CHAs and increased risk for these neurological conditions.

Conclusions:

  • Congenital heart abnormalities are linked to numerous brain diseases, highlighting the importance of the heart-brain axis.
  • Further research is needed to determine the efficacy of surgical or interventional treatments for patients with CHAs and co-existing brain diseases due to limited evidence.

Keywords:
atrial septal defectbrain diseasecongenital heart abnormalitypatent foramen ovalepulmonary arteriovenous fistula

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