title: Interplay of brain structure and function in neonatal congenital heart disease.
abstract: To evaluate whether structural and microstructural brain abnormalities in neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD) correlate with neuronal network dysfunction measured by analysis of EEG connectivity.
  
  
  
  We studied a prospective cohort of 20 neonates with CHD who underwent continuous EEG monitoring before surgery to assess functional brain maturation and network connectivity, structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to determine the presence of brain injury and structural brain development, and diffusion tensor MRI to assess brain microstructural development.
  
  
  
  Neonates with MRI brain injury and delayed structural and microstructural brain development demonstrated significantly stronger high-frequency (beta and gamma frequency band) connectivity. Furthermore, neonates with delayed microstructural brain development demonstrated significantly weaker low-frequency (delta, theta, alpha frequency band) connectivity. Neonates with brain injury also displayed delayed functional maturation of EEG background activity, characterized by greater background discontinuity.
  
  
  
  These data provide new evidence that early structural and microstructural developmental brain abnormalities can have immediate functional consequences that manifest as characteristic alterations of neuronal network connectivity. Such early perturbations of developing neuronal networks, if sustained, may be responsible for the persistent neurocognitive impairment prevalent in adolescent survivors of CHD. These foundational insights into the complex interplay between evolving brain structure and function may have relevance for a wide spectrum of neurological disorders manifesting early developmental brain injury.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada; Division of Neurology Department of Neuroscience CHU Sainte-Justine and the University of Montreal Montreal Canada.
authors.forename: Ala
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-3313-5214
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Birca
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology Simon Fraser University Burnaby Canada.
authors.forename: Vasily A
authors.initials: VA
authors.lastname: Vakorin
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Prashob
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Porayette
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health SickKids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Sujana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Madathil
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Vann
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Chau
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiology Department of PaediatricsThe Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Mike
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Seed
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Physiology and Kinesiology Simon Fraser University Burnaby Canada.
authors.forename: Sam M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Doesburg
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada; Department of Diagnostic Imaging The Hospital for Sick Children Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Blaser
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Dragos A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Nita
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Rohit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sharma
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health SickKids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Emma G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Duerden
authors.affiliation: Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada; Division of Cardiovascular Surgery Department of Surgery The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Edward J
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Steven P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurology Department of Paediatrics The Hospital for Sick Children and the University of Toronto Toronto Canada; Program in Neurosciences and Mental Health Sick Kids Research Institute Toronto Canada.
authors.forename: Cecil D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Hahn