Infantile hydrocephalus considerably impacts neurodevelopment, warranting attention to potential long-term consequences on visuomotor functions. The current study investigated the impact of infantile hydrocephalus on functional connectivity within the posterior cortex. Fourteen patients, who were treated for infantile hydrocephalus, were matched for age and sex with 14 typically-developing controls. Both groups had a mean age of 9 years old. Resting-state functional MRI was used to conduct a functional connectivity analysis within the visuomotor integration network, including the inferior frontal occipital fasciculus, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and frontal aslant tract. Patients had reduced functional connectivity in visuomotor pathways compared to typically-developing children with notable impact on the left and right fusiform gyrus and precuneus. Children with infantile hydrocephalus also performed significantly lower in tasks involving visuomotor integration, visual processing, visuospatial skills, motor coordination, and fine motor manipulation. This study enhances our understanding of the multifaceted impact of infantile hydrocephalus on both neural connectivity and considering behavioral outcomes.
Keywords: Infantile hydrocephalus; functional connectivity; resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging; ventriculoperitoneal shunt; visuomotor pathways.