Brain connections and thinking skills in people with congenital heart disease
Official title: Does Altered Brain Connectivity Correlate with Developmental Outcomes and Executive Function in Congenital Heart Disease?
Funded at Boston Children's Hospital · NIH-11124082 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Researchers will compare brain wiring and thinking skills in infants, children, and adults with congenital heart disease to find markers that predict who may struggle with attention, planning, and other executive functions.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Boston Children's Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $263,550 |
| NIH project number | 5R21HD112697-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11124082 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People of any age with moderate or complex congenital heart disease, including those who have had heart surgery or have concerns about development or executive function, would be appropriate candidates.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals without congenital heart disease or whose cognitive problems are due to unrelated causes would not be eligible or helped by this project.
What this research studies
You would have advanced MRI scans to map how different parts of the brain are connected and take simple tests of thinking skills like attention, memory, and planning. The team will study babies, children, and adults with congenital heart defects and link those brain maps to developmental history, surgeries, and family or environmental factors. They will try to separate signs that arise before birth from changes that happen after surgery or with life experience. The goal is to find measurable brain features that help guide earlier, targeted support for daily functioning and mental health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could help clinicians identify people with congenital heart disease who are at higher risk for thinking and executive function difficulties so they can get earlier and more tailored therapy.
How similar studies have gone: Previous research has linked brain connectivity to thinking skills in other populations, but applying advanced connectome methods specifically to congenital heart disease is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
Boston Children's Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chung, Ai Wern — Boston Children's Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chung, Ai Wern
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.