Poor Children's Brain Activity Resembles That Of Stroke Victims, EEG Shows

Science Daily ^ | Dec 6, 2008 | Staff

[fightinJAG]

ScienceDaily (Dec. 6, 2008) — University of California, Berkeley, researchers have shown for the first time that the brains of low-income children function differently from the brains of high-income kids.

In a study recently accepted for publication in the Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, scientists at UC Berkeley's Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute and the School of Public Health report that normal 9- and 10-year-olds differing only in socioeconomic status have detectable differences in the response of their prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain that is critical for problem solving and creativity.

Brain function was measured by means of an electroencephalograph (EEG) – basically, a cap fitted with electrodes to measure electrical activity in the brain – like that used to assess epilepsy, sleep disorders and brain tumors.

"Kids from lower socioeconomic levels show brain physiology patterns similar to someone who actually had damage in the frontal lobe as an adult," said Robert Knight, director of the institute and a UC Berkeley professor of psychology. "We found that kids are more likely to have a low response if they have low socioeconomic status, though not everyone who is poor has low frontal lobe response."

[AuntB]

“I don’t think it has to do with poverty at all, I think it’s because we have not so smart parents having kids.”

I think you’re right. Something else. Years ago we all read about all the babies being born to addicts with severe problems. I think a lot of these kids are those babies.

[dfwgator]

Nature vs nurture.The age old dilemma.This could just as easily be a genetic thing."Rich" parents are most likely to have substantially higher IQ's than "poor" parents.And studies show that IQ has a substantial genetic component.

Would you like to make a bet on that?

[MARTIAL MONK]

My husband grew up dirt poor... he’s one of the most brilliant people I know.

One of the 3% of American men who puts the toilet seat down.

[Myrddin]

The "twin" studies show identical twins have the same IQ independent of how or where they were raised. When they don't have the same IQ, there is good explanation. Typically, the lower IQ twin will also be the one with lower birth weight. That has been traced to placental defects where the lower birth weight twin was getting blood that had already passed through the heavier twin. Disease and physical damage after birth are also common reasons to find a difference. Absent any negative influences, twins will have the same IQ scores within 5%...that is the limit of accuracy/repeatability of the Stanford-Binet IQ tests.

[Twinkie]

Nutritional choices do make a difference in health and the condition of the brain. I’ve known some smart people who ate junk and went to total pot both physically and mentally. So, obstinate people of all IQ levels shoot themselves in the feet, sad to say.