Grant: Master's Award: Canada Graduate Scholarships

Congenital heart disease (CHD) affects 0.8% of live births, making it the most common antenatal malformation. Advances in medical care have significantly improved survival, with most individuals with CHD now living into adulthood. However, survivors face a high risk of neurodevelopmental impairments, often linked to white matter (WM) dysmaturation resulting from antenatal oxygen and metabolic deficits. Evidence suggests these early WM alterations persist into adulthood, though their nature and long-term impact remain unclear.This study will investigate the WM metabolite profile of young adults with CHD using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H1-MRS). It is hypothesized that young adults with CHD will exhibit altered metabolite profiles, particularly reduced N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA), a marker of neuronal integrity. Sixty-five young adults (16-25 years) with complex CHD, who underwent open-heart surgery before age two, and 60 matched controls will undergo brain MRI, including multi-voxel 2D PRESS H1-MRS at the centrum semiovale. Absolute concentrations of NAA, choline (Cho), and creatine will be quantified and corrected for tissue composition.Group differences in metabolite concentrations will be assessed using ANCOVA, controlling for confounding variables, and regional WM metabolite variations will be analyzed.This study will be the first to characterize the WM metabolite profile of CHD survivors during young adulthood. Findings will improve our understanding of long-term WM alterations and inform interventions to mitigate neurodevelopmental risks in this population.