title: Cognitive and attentional functioning in adolescents and young adults with Tetralogy of Fallot and d-transposition of the great arteries.
abstract: The objective of this study is to investigate cognitive and attentional function in adolescents and young adults with operated congenital heart disease. Previous research has indicated that children with congenital heart disease have deficits in broad areas of cognitive function. However, less attention has been given to survivors as they grow into adolescence and early adulthood. The participants were 18 non-syndromic adolescents and young adults with tetralogy of Fallot and d-transposition of the great arteries that required cardiac surgery before the age of 5 years, and 18 healthy, unaffected siblings (11-22 years of age for both groups). Cases with congenital heart disease and their siblings were administered Wechsler Intelligence scales and reported attention problems using the Achenbach System of Empirically Based Assessments. Cases were compared to both healthy siblings and established norms. Cases performed significantly lower than siblings on full scale IQ and processing speed, and significantly lower than norms on perceptual reasoning. Cases also reported more attention problems compared to both siblings and norms. Effect sizes varied with medium-to-large effects for processing speed, perceptual reasoning, working memory, and attention problems. Findings suggest that neurocognitive function may continue to be affected for congenital heart disease survivors in adolescence and young adulthood, and that comparisons to established norms may underestimate neurocognitive vulnerabilities.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Lexa K
authors.initials: LK
authors.lastname: Murphy
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology & Human Development , Vanderbilt University , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Bruce E
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Compas
authors.affiliation: b Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Medicine , Vanderbilt University Medical Center , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Reeslund
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology , Vanderbilt University Medical Center , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Melissa C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Gindville
authors.affiliation: d Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, Divisions of Cardiology , Columbus Ohio Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, Nationwide Children's Hospital and Ohio State University Medical Center , Columbus , OH , USA.
authors.forename: May Ling
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Mah
authors.affiliation: e Divisions of Cardiovascular Medicine, Adult Congenital Heart Disease, and Pediatric Cardiology, Departments of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics , Vanderbilt University Medical Center , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Larry W
authors.initials: LW
authors.lastname: Markham
authors.affiliation: c Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Neurology , Vanderbilt University Medical Center , Nashville , TN , USA.
authors.forename: Lori C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Jordan
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention; D002648:Child; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013771:Tetralogy of Fallot / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D014188:Transposition of Great Vessels / Q000473:pathology / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attention; Congenital heart disease; Neurocognitive function; Tetralogy of Fallot; d-transposition of the great arteries