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Updated: May 23, 2025

Transuterine Fetal Tracheal Occlusion Model in Mice
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Strong heart, fit brain. Cardiac impact on brain development in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia: a

Isabella Fabietti1, Chiara Vassallo1, Milena Viggiano1

  • 1Bambino Gesu Pediatric Hospital IRCCS, Area of Fetal, Neonatal and Cardiological Sciences, Italy, Roma.

Ultraschall in Der Medizin (Stuttgart, Germany : 1980)
|May 21, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Cardiac function in fetuses with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) correlates with brain development between 20-24 weeks gestation. These brain-heart connections diminish later in pregnancy, suggesting critical developmental windows.

Area of Science:

  • Fetal medicine
  • Pediatric cardiology
  • Developmental neuroscience

Background:

  • Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is associated with abnormal fetal brain development, including altered brain volume and fissures.
  • Cardiac function and dimensions can also be affected in fetuses with CDH.
  • A potential link between impaired cardiac function and abnormal brain development in CDH warrants investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the correlation between cardiac dimensions and function with brain development parameters in fetuses diagnosed with CDH.
  • To assess if cardiac function influences brain development metrics like cerebral fissures and insular depth.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 24 fetuses with left CDH undergoing ultrasound evaluation between 2018-2023.
  • Correlated cardiac parameters (size, flow, E/A, E', S', A') with brain development measures (parieto-occipital fissure, Sylvian fissure, insular depth) at two gestational periods (20-24 and 25-28 weeks).
  • Statistical analysis using Pearson test (p<0.05 significance), with adjustments for gestational age or head circumference.

Main Results:

  • Significant correlations were observed between cardiac function (aortic flow, right ventricle E/A) and brain development parameters (POF, SF, ID) between 20-24 weeks gestation.
  • Left ventricle parameters also showed significant correlations with insular depth in this gestational period.
  • Most of these significant correlations were not observed between 25-28 weeks gestation.

Conclusions:

  • Fetal cardiac function is significantly correlated with brain development in fetuses with CDH during the 20-24 weeks gestation period.
  • These correlations appear to diminish or are lost by the 25-28 weeks gestation period.
  • Further research is needed to validate these findings and explore their clinical implications for postnatal outcomes.
Abstract

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