A recent study from Washington University St. Louis has found a surprising connection between children’s tax bracket and their brain development.
The researchers analyzed over 100 MRI brain scans of children aged 7-12 of various income levels. They were shocked to find that children living in poverty showed significantly lower levels of connectivity in the brain, especially affecting the hippocampus region. This is especially devastating because the hippocampus helps regulate stress, and helps with memory and ability to learn.
Another major area affected, they found, was the amygdala: the part responsible for emotional regulation. The scans showed that these areas are connected more weakly to the other areas of the brain, decreasing brain function.
People living in poverty already face a number of challenges. Their poverty is villified by society, and they are unable to access the same resources as others due either to finances or to prejudice. In a country where the term “Democratic Socialism” is treated with hostility, it’s a challenge to steer the national conversation toward helping the poor without resorting to hateful cliches and pat stereotypes.
Poor kids also face extra logistical challenges in accessing education: many members of the working poor have parents working multiple jobs. This means that they need to feed themselves and make their own way to school in the morning. They may look unkempt, and may seem to have a bad attitude due to lack of sleep.
And now, it looks like they may face physiological challenges as well. Of course, the sample size for the study is small, but the results are striking.
Hopefully, these results will lead to a more fulsome and meaningful discussion about poverty in America. If it can be proven conclusively that growing up in poverty diminishes an individual’s brain capacity, we will have to ask ourselves if we are okay with this on a societal level.
