Socioeconomic resources are associated with distributed alterations of the brain’s intrinsic functional architecture in youth

Sripada, Chandra; Gard, Arianna M.; Angstadt, Mike; Taxali, Aman; Greathouse, Tristan; McCurry, Katherine; Hyde, Luke W.; Weigard, Alexander; Walczyk, Peter; Heitzeg, Mary M.

doi:10.1016/j.dcn.2022.101164

Cited by 18 publications

(22 citation statements)

References 89 publications

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“…These independent associations could be partially explained by obesity and cognition, which may be targets for interventions from multiple socioeconomic angles to improve white matter health in disadvantaged children. Our findings join previous research on gray matter [12][13][14][28][29][30][31][32]109 to highlight the complex pathways through which SES might influence brain development. Note.…”

Section: Conclusion (81 Words)supporting

confidence: 87%

“…The participant's primary home address was geocoded into a census tract, from which the American Community Survey (2011-2015) Area Deprivation Index (ADI) estimates were extracted 50 . An exploratory factor analysis created a latent neighborhood disadvantage score that included 10 of all 17 ADI values (loadings ≥ 0.63; eTable 2 in the Supplement), consistent with previous reports 12,29 . ADI values that loaded less strongly generally reflected outdated (e.g., percentage of households without telephones) or market-dependent (e.g., median mortgage/rent) instead of contemporary, stable disadvantage and were excluded 12,29,30 .…”

Section: Neighborhood Sesmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…An exploratory factor analysis created a latent neighborhood disadvantage score that included 10 of all 17 ADI values (loadings ≥ 0.63; eTable 2 in the Supplement), consistent with previous reports 12,29 . ADI values that loaded less strongly generally reflected outdated (e.g., percentage of households without telephones) or market-dependent (e.g., median mortgage/rent) instead of contemporary, stable disadvantage and were excluded 12,29,30 . In the current study, higher neighborhood disadvantage scores would suggest lower education, income, property ownership, and higher unemployment, poverty, income disparity, and percentage of singleparent households, all at the community level.…”

Section: Neighborhood Sesmentioning

confidence: 64%

“…These studies used obesity measures as a proxy for diet and exercise 13 , and cognitive performance as a proxy for the social, sensory, and cognitive influence the brain, potentially through different pathways. Recent findings suggest that SES indicators at both neighborhood-level (e.g., area deprivation index) and household-level (e.g., income, parental education), though correlated, do independently relate to children's brain morphology and functional networks 12,13,[29][30][31][32][33] . In terms of SES, families having the same income level may have access to different neighborhoods due to differences in local cost of living and/or structural racism barriers 8 .…”

Section: Introduction (737 Words)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Studies have recently demonstrated that unhealthy weight and poorer cognitive performance mediate associations between low SES and altered brain volumes and functional connectivity 13,28,29 . These studies used obesity measures as a proxy for diet and exercise 13 , and cognitive performance as a proxy for the social, sensory, and cognitive stimulation in the environment 28,29 . Furthermore, there may be multiple components of SES that influence the brain, potentially through different pathways.…”

Section: Introduction (737 Words)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in children: indirect effects via obesity and cognition

Cai

Taylor

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Importance Both neighborhood and household socioeconomic disadvantage relate to negative health outcomes and altered brain structure in children. It is unclear whether such findings extend to white matter development, and via what mechanisms socioeconomic status (SES) influences the brain. Objective To test independent associations between neighborhood and household SES indicators and white matter microstructure in children, and examine whether body mass index and cognitive function (a proxy of environmental cognitive/sensory stimulation) may plausibly mediate these associations. Design This cross-sectional study used baseline data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study, an ongoing 10-year cohort study tracking child health. Setting School-based recruitment at 21 U.S. sites. Participants Children aged 9 to 11 years and their parents/caregivers completed baseline assessments between October 1st, 2016 and October 31st, 2018. Data analysis was conducted from July to December 2022. Exposures Neighborhood disadvantage was derived from area deprivation indices at primary residence. Household SES indicators were total income and the highest parental education attainment. Main Outcomes and Measures Thirty-one major white matter tracts were segmented from diffusion-weighted images. The Restriction Spectrum Imaging (RSI) model was implemented to measure restricted normalized directional (RND; reflecting oriented myelin organization) and isotropic (RNI; reflecting glial/neuronal cell bodies) diffusion in each tract. Obesity-related measures were body mass index (BMI), BMI z-scores, and waist circumference, and cognitive performance was assessed using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery. Linear mixed-effects models tested the associations between SES indicators and scanner-harmonized RSI metrics. Structural equation models examined indirect effects of obesity and cognitive performance in the significant associations between SES and white mater microstructure summary principal components. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, pubertal development stage, intracranial volume, and head motion. Results The analytical sample included 8842 children (4299 [48.6%] girls; mean age [SD], 9.9 [0.7] years). Greater neighborhood disadvantage and lower parental education were independently associated with lower RSI-RND in forceps major and corticospinal/pyramidal tracts, and had overlapping associations in the superior longitudinal fasciculus. Lower cognition scores and greater obesity-related measures partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RND. Lower household income was related to higher RSI-RNI in almost every tract, and greater neighborhood disadvantage had similar effects in primarily frontolimbic tracts. Lower parental education was uniquely linked to higher RSI-RNI in forceps major. Greater obesity-related measures partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RNI. Findings were robust in sensitivity analyses and mostly corroborated using traditional diffusion tensor imaging (DTI). Conclusions and Relevance These cross-sectional results demonstrate that both neighborhood and household contexts are relevant to white matter development in children, and suggest cognitive performance and obesity as possible pathways of influence. Interventions targeting obesity reduction and improving cognition from multiple socioeconomic angles may ameliorate brain health in low-SES children.

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Section: Conclusion (81 Words)supporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Neighborhood Sesmentioning

confidence: 64%

Section: Neighborhood Sesmentioning

confidence: 64%

Section: Introduction (737 Words)mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introduction (737 Words)mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Associations between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in children: indirect effects via obesity and cognition

Cai

Taylor

et al. 2023

Preprint

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Associations Between Socioeconomic Status, Obesity, Cognition, and White Matter Microstructure in Children

Cai

Taylor

et al. 2023

JAMA Netw Open

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ImportanceLower neighborhood and household socioeconomic status (SES) are associated with negative health outcomes and altered brain structure in children. It is unclear whether such findings extend to white matter and via what mechanisms.ObjectiveTo assess whether and how neighborhood and household SES are independently associated with children’s white matter microstructure and examine whether obesity and cognitive performance (reflecting environmental cognitive and sensory stimulation) are plausible mediators.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsThis cross-sectional study used baseline data from participants in the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study. Data were collected at 21 US sites, and school-based recruitment was used to represent the US population. Children aged 9 to 11 years and their parents or caregivers completed assessments between October 1, 2016, and October 31, 2018. After exclusions, 8842 of 11 875 children in the ABCD study were included in the analyses. Data analysis was conducted from July 11 to December 19, 2022.ExposuresNeighborhood disadvantage was derived from area deprivation indices at participants’ primary residence. Household SES factors were total income and highest parental educational attainment.Main Outcomes and MeasuresA restriction spectrum imaging (RSI) model was used to quantify restricted normalized directional (RND; reflecting oriented myelin organization) and restricted normalized isotropic (RNI; reflecting glial and neuronal cell bodies) diffusion in 31 major white matter tracts. The RSI measurements were scanner harmonized. Obesity was assessed through body mass index (BMI; calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), age- and sex-adjusted BMI z scores, and waist circumference, and cognition was assessed through the National Institutes of Health Toolbox Cognition Battery. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, pubertal development stage, intracranial volume, mean head motion, and twin or siblingship.ResultsAmong 8842 children, 4543 (51.4%) were boys, and the mean (SD) age was 9.9 (0.7) years. Linear mixed-effects models revealed that greater neighborhood disadvantage was associated with lower RSI-RND in the left superior longitudinal fasciculus (β = −0.055; 95% CI, −0.081 to −0.028) and forceps major (β = −0.040; 95% CI, −0.067 to −0.013). Lower parental educational attainment was associated with lower RSI-RND in the bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus (eg, right hemisphere: β = 0.053; 95% CI, 0.025-0.080) and bilateral corticospinal or pyramidal tract (eg, right hemisphere: β = 0.042; 95% CI, 0.015-0.069). Structural equation models revealed that lower cognitive performance (eg, lower total cognition score and higher neighborhood disadvantage: β = −0.012; 95% CI, −0.016 to −0.009) and greater obesity (eg, higher BMI and higher neighborhood disadvantage: β = −0.004; 95% CI, −0.006 to −0.001) partially accounted for the associations between SES and RSI-RND. Lower household income was associated with higher RSI-RNI in most tracts (eg, right inferior longitudinal fasciculus: β = −0.042 [95% CI, −0.073 to −0.012]; right anterior thalamic radiations: β = −0.045 [95% CI, −0.075 to −0.014]), and greater neighborhood disadvantage had similar associations in primarily frontolimbic tracts (eg, right fornix: β = 0.046 [95% CI, 0.019-0.074]; right anterior thalamic radiations: β = 0.045 [95% CI, 0.018-0.072]). Lower parental educational attainment was associated with higher RSI-RNI in the forceps major (β = −0.048; 95% CI, −0.077 to −0.020). Greater obesity partially accounted for these SES associations with RSI-RNI (eg, higher BMI and higher neighborhood disadvantage: β = 0.015; 95% CI, 0.011-0.020). Findings were robust in sensitivity analyses and were corroborated using diffusion tensor imaging.Conclusions and RelevanceIn this cross-sectional study, both neighborhood and household contexts were associated with white matter development in children, and findings suggested that obesity and cognitive performance were possible mediators in these associations. Future research on children’s brain health may benefit from considering these factors from multiple socioeconomic perspectives.

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Social determinants of brain health & brain changes across the human lifespan

Wig,

Chan,

Nguyen

2025

Encyclopedia of the Human Brain

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Socioeconomic resources are associated with distributed alterations of the brain’s intrinsic functional architecture in youth

Cited by 18 publications

References 89 publications

Associations between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in children: indirect effects via obesity and cognition

Associations between socioeconomic status and white matter microstructure in children: indirect effects via obesity and cognition

Associations Between Socioeconomic Status, Obesity, Cognition, and White Matter Microstructure in Children

Social determinants of brain health & brain changes across the human lifespan

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