Wealthier children have bigger brains, study finds

Richer pupils achieve higher academic grades because their brains are different, according to research. Past research has shown pupils from low-income backgrounds fared worse than those from wealthier families. Brain scans have now offered another dimension to this so-called “achievement gap” by showing richer pupils have thicker brain cortex in areas associated with visual perception and knowledge accumulation. There was a link between the brain anatomy and performance on standardised tests.
John Gabrieli, a professor of brain and cognitive sciences at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said: “Just as you would expect, there’s a real cost to not living in a supportive environment.  “We can see it not only in test scores, in educational attainment, but within the brains of these children. “To me, it’s a call to action. You want to boost the opportunities for those for whom it doesn’t come easily in their environment.”


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/science/science-news/11548859/Wealthier-children-have-bigger-brains-study-finds.html


No surprise there to me really.

Hi nemesis.
Do you think it's due to a better diet? Better education? Better all-round lifestyle?

I'm not 100% convinced?

eddie wrote:Hi nemesis.
Do you think it's due to a better diet? Better education? Better all-round lifestyle?

I'm not 100% convinced?

Just to chime in, I remember learning about how schizophrenia can cause actual changes to the structure of the brain (in this case it's physical damage):



I wonder if it's something like that? Maybe the same way that muscles don't develop without exercise.

eddie wrote:Hi nemesis.
Do you think it's due to a better diet? Better education? Better all-round lifestyle?

I'm not 100% convinced?

Hello Eddie

I think the study needs further looking into of which I am also convinced that diet does play a part also.
So again I am very much convinced around wealth playing a factor.

eddie wrote:Hi nemesis.
Do you think it's due to a better diet? Better education? Better all-round lifestyle?

I'm not 100% convinced?

Attention, sad but this is probably true up to a certain age.... but it is changeable over time, the brain is far more dynamic than most people realize it grows and shirks just like normal muscles do with usage.
talking averages of course but a number of low income parents simply don't spend the time sitting with their kids and listening to them and teaching them.
the brain matter they are talking about is the links between  the central cortex and the specific thinking part (numerical, literacy and small motor skills are all in different parts of the brain) the more it is used the more it grows. this is pretty much already known(not sure if actually proven) and is the reason why 'practice' works. I don't think it is that surprising that young kids that have had more attention, been exposed to more 'academic' media and had their questions answered and their questioning encouraged would have thicker nerves around the cortex.

obviously a number of reasons why the averages are like this.... like having to work greater hours and having 2 full time working parents, plus lower education of parents and inherited family dynamics (most people parent like their parents did). then you also have all the depression and self worth issues that come with being very low income.

Nemesis wrote:

eddie wrote:Hi nemesis.
Do you think it's due to a better diet? Better education? Better all-round lifestyle?

I'm not 100% convinced?

Hello Eddie

I think the study needs further looking into of which I am also convinced that diet does play a part also.
So again I am very much convinced around wealth playing a factor.

Yes diet is a massive factor in a body's function