Children with congenital heart diseases (CHD) undergoing open-heart surgery are at an increased risk of motor impairment, but little is known about the neuroanatomical correlates of these deficits. The purpose of the present study was to examine the link between corticospinal tract (CST) microstructure, assessed with diffusion tensor MRI, and motor function in a cohort of adolescents with operated CHD. Compared to age-matched controls, adolescents with CHD showed lower CST anisotropy which correlated with worse fine motor function and poorer movement quality. CHD may therefore lead to alterations in motor tract development, increasing the risk of persistent motor impairments.
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