New research suggests that variables related to socio-economic status (SES), such as increased stress and decreased sleep, have a strong relationship with children’s brain structure and function.
“Previous studies have found that socioeconomics can influence brain structure and function, but[these authors]demonstrate these effects with remarkable magnitude and consistency,” Lucinda M. Sisk and Theodore D. Satterthwaite write in a related Perspective. Brain-wide association studies (BWAS) investigate how variations in brain structure and function across large populations are related to differences in behavior, mental health, or environmental exposures. Such studies often assess brain measures such as functional connectivity and cortical thickness, which vary between individuals and can change over time.
Hey, Scott Marek. Others. sought to identify which exposures (out of 649 different variables) were most strongly associated with functional connectivity and cortical thickness in a sample of 9- to 10-year-old youth from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.
The authors found that composite factors related to SES, such as family income and neighborhood opportunities, were most strongly associated with functional connectedness. These SES-related differences in functional connectivity were strongest in brain regions involved in sensory and motor processing, with screen time and decreased sleep (both associated with lower socioeconomic status) showing the strongest associations. Because these brain regions are associated with arousal, and arousal acts as a regulator of brain activity, stressors related to socioeconomic status may alter arousal patterns over time, creating lasting differences in brain function, the authors say.
Malek et al. replicated their study with samples from the UK Biobank (95% of whom were White British, White Irish, or other Caucasian backgrounds) and saw the same pattern. When combined with analyzes stratified by genetic ancestry in the original youth sample, these findings indicate that brain differences associated with socioeconomic factors are independent of genetic ancestry, the authors say. Marek et al. note that “it remains unclear when strong associations between the brain and SES first emerge, or when environmental interventions are most beneficial,” but that “socioeconomic opportunity is not destiny.” Patterns established during sensitive periods of growth may not be permanent. Interventions related to sleep and chronic stress may be prime candidates for enhancing brain function and structure. The findings highlight the need for societal-level policies that provide early support to families, Sisk and Satterthwaite write in a Perspective.
sauce:
American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Reference magazines:
Marek, S. Others. (2026). Brain-wide association patterns reflect socioeconomics. Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.aee6213. https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aee6213
