Family Income Could Affect Kids' Brain Structures, Study Finds

You are currently viewing our forum as a guest. This means you are limited to certain areas of the board and that there are some features you can't use or read.

We are an active community of worldwide senior members participating in chat, politics, travel, health, blogging, graphics, computer issues & help, book club, literature & poetry, finance discussions, recipe exchange and much more. Also, as a member you will be able to access member only sections, many features, send personal messages, make new friends, etc.

Registration is simple, fast and completely free. Why not register today and become a part of the group. Registration button at the very top left of the page.

Thank you for stopping by.

Join our community!

In case of difficulty, email worldwideseniors.org@gmail.com.
If you're already a member please log in to your account to access all of our features:

Family Income Could Affect Kids' Brain Structures, Study Finds
Topic Started: Mar 31 2015, 02:30 PM (245 Views)
Darcie	Mar 31 2015, 02:30 PM Post #1
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	Quote: Children and teens from families with lower incomes have differences in their brain structure compared with wealthier children, a new analysis of MRI scans reveals. Scientists report today (March 30) in the journal Nature Neuroscience a correlation between growing up in a lower-income family and having a smaller surface area in brain regions associated with skills that are important for academic success. The association is independent of the children's race or ethnicity, the researchers found. Encouragingly, however, they also found that even small increases in income among the poorest seem to be associated with relatively large increases in brain surface area, and thus learning potential. http://www.livescience.com/50301-family-income-could-affect-kids-brain-structures-study-finds.html?cmpid=559198 So family income matters when looking at academic success. Governments take note.



goldengal	Mar 31 2015, 10:36 PM Post #2
Mistress, House of Dogs Posts: 11,674 Group: Member Member #715 Joined: March 31, 2010	Darcie Mar 31 2015, 02:30 PM Quote: Children and teens from families with lower incomes have differences in their brain structure compared with wealthier children, a new analysis of MRI scans reveals. Scientists report today (March 30) in the journal Nature Neuroscience a correlation between growing up in a lower-income family and having a smaller surface area in brain regions associated with skills that are important for academic success. The association is independent of the children's race or ethnicity, the researchers found. Encouragingly, however, they also found that even small increases in income among the poorest seem to be associated with relatively large increases in brain surface area, and thus learning potential. http://www.livescience.com/50301-family-income-could-affect-kids-brain-structures-study-finds.html?cmpid=559198 So family income matters when looking at academic success. Governments take note. JMHO but I think this paragraph in the link provided speaks volumes: Quote: "We do not know exactly what [it is] about having more money [that] leads to these brain size differences, but we suspect it involves all the resources that more affluent people can afford, such as good nutrition, health care, better schools, etc.," said Elizabeth Sowell, senior author on the report and a professor of pediatrics at Children's Hospital Los Angeles and the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine. It does not take a rocket scientist to figure children who are eating good food alone on a regular basis have an advantage over say the kids who are eating KD most days. Take care, Pat



Trotsky	Mar 31 2015, 11:17 PM Post #3
Big City Boy Posts: 38,319 Group: Member Member #79 Joined: September 8, 2005	Probably has something to do with adequate nutrition.



Darcie	Mar 31 2015, 11:51 PM Post #4
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	I was part of an experiment at the elementary school that my granddaughter went to. We fed all of the children a very nutritious breakfast, all the food groups every school day. Withing two years the marks in school went up for all but more dramatically for the poor kids.



heatseeker	Apr 1 2015, 04:21 AM Post #5
Veteran Member Posts: 10,320 Group: Member Member #713 Joined: March 30, 2010	We produce an abundance of the best food in the world, yet somehow we can't assure that all kids are well nourished. Even from a neoconservative point if view, it is scandalously wasteful to invest many billions in schools, yet prevent a lot f kids from benefiting fully f at all because they are hungry.



wildie	Apr 1 2015, 04:32 AM Post #6
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	Is it not possible that its genetics? We all don't come into this world with the same IQ. Its more likely that those with lower IQ will have poorer incomes. And beget children with the same capabilities!



Dana	Apr 1 2015, 04:41 AM Post #7
WWS Hummingbird Guru & Wildlife photographer extrordinaire Posts: 13,054 Group: Member Member #830 Joined: March 23, 2011	If I had never seen stupid rich people or smart poorer ones I might agree with the genetics thing. I have seen where in an average income family mom would sit a 2.5 yr old in front of the tv with a bowl of dry sugar cereal. That mom had been told by her doc that the child was under-stimulated. No wonder.



wildie	Apr 1 2015, 04:56 AM Post #8
Veteran Member Posts: 12,173 Group: Member Member #442 Joined: October 11, 2006	Dana Apr 1 2015, 04:41 AM If I had never seen stupid rich people or smart poorer ones I might agree with the genetics thing. I have seen where in an average income family mom would sit a 2.5 yr old in front of the tv with a bowl of dry sugar cereal. That mom had been told by her doc that the child was under-stimulated. No wonder. There are of course, exceptions! I had a close childhood buddy whose family had little income. In his case, the father was a drunk! In spite of this, he went on to graduate from GMI in Michigan and had a career as an automotive design engineer! There are other factors at work! Of my 3 children, 2 went on to graduate from college. One didn't do well and barely managed to finish high school. Years later, he was diagnosed as being dyslectic. Certainly, many things influence our capabilities, but genetics factor in also!



Darcie	Apr 1 2015, 05:20 AM Post #9
Skeptic Posts: 31,154 Group: Member Member #714 Joined: March 30, 2010	Doesn't matter what the genetics are, you should have enough to meet your full potential. Lack of proper nourishment generally affects whatever smarts you have.



swing	Apr 1 2015, 08:28 AM Post #10
swing Posts: 9,979 Group: Member Member #359 Joined: August 18, 2006	If I had never seen stupid rich people or smart poorer ones I might agree with the genetics thing. I agree Dana ~ see it right on my own street and in fact in my own family!



1 user reading this topic (1 Guest and 0 Anonymous)


« Previous Topic · Specific Condtions & Support · Next Topic »