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Spectral EEG in Congenital Heart Disease: A Case-Control Study in Infants Undergoing Cardiac Surgery
Elisa Cainelli1, Manuela Simonato2, Anna Sartori2
1Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, 35133, Padua, Italy. elisa.cainelli@unipd.it.
Insights
Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) show altered brain wave patterns after surgery. These EEG differences suggest impaired development of brain networks crucial for early cognitive skills.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Developmental Psychology
Background:
- Congenital heart disease (CHD) is linked to neurocognitive deficits in children.
- The exact causes of these impairments remain unclear.
- Early brain development and network function are critical for cognitive outcomes.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in brain activity between infants with CHD and healthy controls.
- To analyze postoperative electroencephalographic (EEG) power spectra to understand cerebral architecture.
- To correlate EEG findings with psychomotor development.
Main Methods:
- Recruited 35 infants with CHD and 35 healthy controls.
- Performed multichannel EEG recordings after cardiac surgery and before discharge for CHD infants.
- Assessed psychomotor development using the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale (GMDS).
Main Results:
- Significant differences in alpha and beta EEG frequency bands were observed between CHD patients and controls.
- EEG power in CHD patients did not correlate with age, unlike in controls.
- While most CHD children had normal GMDS scores, a significant portion showed borderline or impaired development.
Conclusions:
- Infants with CHD exhibit distinct EEG spectral patterns, particularly in medium-high frequencies.
- These alterations suggest abnormal development of cerebral networks supporting early cognitive milestones.
- Postoperative EEG analysis can reveal underlying neurodevelopmental differences in CHD patients.
Abstract:
Children suffering from congenital heart disease (CHD) are at risk of developing a variety of neurocognitive sequelae. The etiology of these impairments is thought to be multifactorial, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. The aim of this study was to compare the power spectra of postoperative electroencephalographic (EEG) activity of children with CHD undergoing cardiac surgery and controls to highlight differences in brain oscillations and cerebral architecture. We recruited 35 children with CHD undergoing cardiac surgery within six months of life (CHD group, M = 22, age at evaluation 111 days [38; 173]) and 35 age-matched healthy controls (control group, M = 24). After surgery, immediately before discharge, CHD children underwent multichannel EEG and psychomotor evaluation with the Griffiths Mental Developmental Scale (GMDS). At the psychomotor evaluation, 25/35 (71%) children in CHD group had a normal GMDS total score, 7/35 (20%) were borderline, and 3/35 (5%) were impaired. The EEG activity of CHD and controls differed significantly in the alpha (F = 23.662, p < .001) and beta (F = 36.457, p < .001) bands. Only for the CHD group did EEG power not correlate with age. CHD children exhibit marked differences in the EEG spectrum, particularly in the medium-high frequencies, suggesting an abnormal development of cerebral networks sustaining early cognitive milestones.
