FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·June 17, 2026·9 min readTrauma and Poverty Linked to Brain Changes in SchizophreniaA new study demonstrates that adverse social determinants of health, such as childhood trauma, poverty, discrimination, and isolation, are directly linked to structural and functional brain changes associated with schizophrenia-spectrum disorders.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·November 5, 2025·6 min readYour Neighborhood Could Influence Your Risk of DementiaResearchers found that living in a socioeconomically deprived neighborhood can harm brain health as early as midlife. People from these areas showed more signs of small-vessel brain damage, slower thinking skills, and poorer control of lifestyle factors such as blood pressure, obesity, and sleep.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·July 31, 2025·6 min readPoverty Isn’t the Key Driver in Family Mental Health StrugglesA large-scale longitudinal study challenges the assumption that poverty amplifies the link between parental distress and child mental health problems. Using advanced statistical modeling, researchers found that financial hardship did not influence the reciprocal relationship between parents’ and children’s mental health.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·May 21, 2025·5 min readWhy Loneliness Hurts More When You’re PoorA new study across 20 European countries shows that people in the lowest income brackets are significantly more likely to feel lonely than those with higher incomes, even though they socialize just as often. Loneliness was closely tied to a cluster of defensive symptoms—pain, fatigue, and low mood—which were especially severe among the poor.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 12, 2024·4 min readWealth Shapes Perceptions of TrustworthinessNew research shows that across diverse cultures, individuals with fewer material resources are consistently perceived as less trustworthy. The study spanned eight countries and uncovered a universal stereotype linking wealth to trustworthiness, even among those with low resources themselves.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·April 15, 2024·5 min readPoverty’s Profound Impact on Brain Development and BehaviorA new review connects low socioeconomic status (SES) with significant changes in brain development, behavior, and cognitive outcomes. The review synthesizes existing research to present a unified framework showing how factors common in low SES environments—such as poor nutrition, chronic stress, and substandard living conditions—adversely affect neurodevelopment.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·January 16, 2024·5 min readInflammation and Poverty Increase Health and Mortality RisksRecent research highlights a synergistic relationship between chronic inflammation and poverty, exacerbating health risks and reducing life expectancy in the U.S. Analyzing data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), researchers found that individuals suffering from both poverty and chronic inflammation face significantly worse health outcomes than those affected by either factor alone.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·December 6, 2023·4 min readOne-off Poverty’s Impact on Child DevelopmentEven a single experience of poverty can adversely affect a child's development. Analyzing data from over 7,000 children in Ireland between 2008 and 2017, the study found that one-off poverty events, particularly around age three, can lead to cognitive and behavioral difficulties.Read More
FeaturedNeuroscience·June 27, 2023·8 min readChildhood Poverty’s Impact: Reshaping the Brain’s Communication PathwaysGrowing up in poverty may impact a child’s brain development, specifically in the white matter tracts which facilitate communication between different brain regions. The research, part of the large-scale Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study, links neighborhood and household poverty to these crucial aspects of brain structure.Read More
FeaturedNeurologyNeuroscience·February 19, 2023·4 min readFood Insecurity May Increase Cognitive Decline in Older AdultsFood insecurity was associated with accelerated cognitive decline and brain aging in older adults.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 28, 2022·3 min readChildhood Poverty Impacts Well-Being in Middle AgeThe financial circumstances a child experiences impact their well-being between the ages of 41 and 65.Read More
FeaturedNeurosciencePsychology·November 15, 2022·4 min readFeeling Poorer Than Your Friends in Early Adolescence Is Associated With Worse Mental HealthTeenagers who come from less financially secure backgrounds than their friends are more likely to experience lower self-esteem and are at higher risk of being bullied. Additionally, both those who are poorer and those who are more affluent are more likely to perpetuate bullying behaviors.Read More