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socioeconomic status

Featured Neurology Neuroscience Visual Neuroscience

·November 12, 2025·5 min read

Low Income, Vision Loss, and Isolation Drive Dementia Risk

A new study reveals that people with lower incomes and those from historically underrepresented racial and ethnic groups carry a higher burden of modifiable dementia risk factors. Vision loss and social isolation were among the most significant contributors for those living below the poverty line, suggesting that better access to healthcare and community support could have major protective effects.

This shows a dad and child surrounded by money and dark clouds, implying financial assets do not really affect mental health outcomes.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·July 31, 2025·6 min read

Poverty Isn’t the Key Driver in Family Mental Health Struggles

A 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.

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·June 12, 2025·4 min read

Social Status and Genes Interact to Shape the Aging Brain

A global study of nearly one million individuals has identified hundreds of genetic regions linked to socioeconomic status, revealing a shared genetic signal across income, education, occupation, and deprivation. Researchers found that about 9% of the variation in socioeconomic status could be attributed to genetics, while the rest was driven by social and environmental factors.

Featured Neuroscience

·December 7, 2024·5 min read

Neighborhood Disadvantage Linked to Cognitive Health Risks

Living in disadvantaged neighborhoods is associated with higher blood pressure and lower cognitive performance, even in individuals without mild cognitive impairment. Researchers analyzed over 500 adults, finding that poor social and economic resources in neighborhoods exacerbate cardiometabolic health issues and reduce brain function.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·November 12, 2024·4 min read

Wealth Shapes Perceptions of Trustworthiness

New 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.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·November 1, 2024·5 min read

Socioeconomic Factors Influence Cognitive Health and Dementia Risk

A new study reveals that socioeconomic factors like education, occupation, and wealth play a role in the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia in later life. Tracking over 8,000 adults in England, researchers found that people with higher socioeconomic status were less likely to transition from healthy cognition to impairment and more likely to recover from mild impairment.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·February 6, 2024·4 min read

Can’t Buy Me Happiness: Joy Beyond Wealth

Many Indigenous and local communities report high levels of life satisfaction despite low monetary incomes, challenging the widely held belief that economic growth is essential for happiness. Surveying 2,966 individuals across 19 globally diverse sites, researchers found life satisfaction scores in these communities comparable to those in affluent countries, with some even surpassing the happiness indices of wealthy Scandinavian nations.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 26, 2024·4 min read

Income Gap Influences Friendships in Adolescents

A new study reveals that adolescents from low-income families are less socially integrated in school compared to their higher-income peers, regardless of the school's socioeconomic context. Analyzing data from 4,787 Swedish children in 235 school classes, researchers found that income status significantly impacts friendships, with students from poorer households having fewer friends.

Featured Neuroscience

·January 22, 2024·9 min read

Wealth Shapes Brain’s Reward Response

Researchers discovered that a child's socioeconomic status (SES) influences their brain's sensitivity to rewards. In their study, children from lower SES backgrounds exhibited less activation in the reward-linked striatum during a money-earning game, compared to those from higher SES backgrounds.

Featured Neuroscience Psychology

·January 4, 2024·5 min read

Lower Socio-Economic Women Underrate Their Talent

A new study reveals that women from low socio-economic backgrounds tend to perceive themselves as less talented, even when their performance matches others'. This misperception can contribute to gender disparities, especially in fields like STEM.

This shows a child's hands painted rainbow colors

Featured Genetics Neuroscience Psychology

·December 17, 2022·4 min read

Study Examines Links Between Parents’ Income and Sexual Orientation of Their Children

A new study links same-sex attraction to parents' socioeconomic status during pregnancy. Researchers report the highest frequency of same-sex attraction was found in children in the lowest income group and elevated levels of same-sex attraction in children who came from the most affluent backgrounds. They speculate higher levels of fetal estrogen is a factor in both male and female same-sex attraction in the lowest-income group, while elevated levels of fetal testosterone is a factor in the higher income group. Higher fetal estrogen was related to more submissive roles in same-sex relationships, while higher fetal testosterone was associated with more assertive characteristics.

Featured Neurology Neuroscience

·June 14, 2022·8 min read

Role of Lifestyle Factors in Alzheimer’s Risk and Disparities

Adopting a healthy lifestyle or adopting minor lifestyle changes helps reduce the risks of developing Alzheimer's disease, especially for those from a lower socioeconomic background.