Socioeconomic Influences Leave Lasting Marks on Children's Brains

WHO:

[NPR] - Scott Marek, first author and assistant professor of radiology at WashU School of Medicine.

[NPR] - Russell Poldrack, psychology professor at Stanford University.

[NPR] - Dr. Nico Dosenbach, author of the study and professor at WashU Medicine in St. Louis.

[NPR] - Dr. Theodore D. Satterthwaite, associate professor at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine.

WHAT:

[NPR] - A study published in the journal Science analyzed more than 2,300 9- and 10-year-olds.

[NPR] - The study found that socioeconomic factors are associated with brain differences observable in MRI scans.

[NPR] - Preteens from lower-income neighborhoods showed brain differences linked to less sleep and more stress.

[NPR] - Socioeconomics was identified as the dominant variable influencing brain development, surpassing factors like IQ and mental health.

WHERE:

[NPR] - The research utilized data from the federally funded Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, which tracks children across the United States.

WHY:

[NPR] - The study highlights the significant impact of the environment on brain development, challenging previous research that focused primarily on IQ and mental health.

HOW:

[NPR] - Researchers used brain scans from the ABCD Study to identify structural and communication differences in children's brains.

[NPR] - The team ranked various factors by their association with brain differences, finding that most were related to socioeconomic opportunities.

[NPR] - The study suggests that factors like income, preschool enrollment, healthcare access, and neighborhood quality affect brain development through alterations in brain circuits related to sleep, stress, and social media use.

(UPDATED June 11, 2026 23:29 UTC)

A new study published in the journal Science reveals that socioeconomic factors significantly influence brain development in children, with researchers analyzing over 2,300 9- and 10-year-olds from the federally funded Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study. The findings show that preteens from lower-income neighborhoods exhibited brain differences linked to less sleep and increased stress, with socioeconomic status emerging as the dominant variable over IQ and mental health. This research underscores the profound impact of environmental factors, such as income, preschool enrollment, and healthcare access, on children's brain structure and function.