Individuals with congenital heart defects (CHD) are vulnerable to long-lasting neurodevelopmental impairments. In this study, we found that youth with CHD had overall smaller total and regional volumes in the cerebellum, when compared to healthy controls of the same age. These differences were statistically significant in 18 of 26 bilateral cerebellar regions, but were not significant in lobules I, II, VI and IX as well as Crus I (bilaterally). These anatomical alterations in many regions could lead to functional impairments since the cerebellum plays a role in many aspects of behavior, including movement, cognition and emotional regulation.
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