Brain development in children could be affected by poverty

[JIM CURRAN]

Brain development in children could be affected by poverty

Brain scans of children and young adults have revealed that specific brain regions tend to be smaller in those from poorer backgrounds than those born into wealthier families.

The effects were most striking among the poorest families who took part in the study, where even modest changes in wages could have a significant impact on the structure of the children’s brains.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015 ... tudy-shows

[kenm]

Noble’s lab at Columbia is now planning a major trial to investigate whether giving monthly payments to the poorest families boosts the brain development of their children, by alleviating some of the factors that hamper it. Under the trial, a group of low income mothers from across the US will receive either a large monthly sum, or a modest payment, to see whether the money makes any difference to their lives.

This study is crucial to clarifying the title assertion, unless there was some component of the completed study, not reported by the Guardian, that determined the genetic influence.