Socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood has been associated with difficulties in physical and mental health later in life. A potential pathway underlying this association is through variations in brain development. While associations between concurrent socioeconomic disadvantage and brain structural development have been established, it is unclear if there are prospective associations between childhood disadvantage and brain structure later in life (adulthood). The following studies address these gaps in the knowledge by examining the prospective association between childhood socioeconomic status and brain structure in adulthood. Study One examines the association between average family income across childhood and brain structural morphometry in adulthood. This study found a positive association, primarily for surface area, in the rostral and caudal middle frontal gyri. Study Two examine childhood socioeconomic (age 9) and white matter organization in adulthood and found positive associations in the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum bundle. These studies suggest the prospective association between childhood disadvantage and adult brain structure is long-lasting and highlight the importance of eliminating poverty in childhood.
","abstract_html":"<p>Socioeconomic disadvantage in childhood has been associated with difficulties in physical and mental health later in life. A potential pathway underlying this association is through variations in brain development. While associations between concurrent socioeconomic disadvantage and brain structural development have been established, it is unclear if there are prospective associations between childhood disadvantage and brain structure later in life (adulthood). The following studies address these gaps in the knowledge by examining the prospective association between childhood socioeconomic status and brain structure in adulthood. Study One examines the association between average family income across childhood and brain structural morphometry in adulthood. This study found a positive association, primarily for surface area, in the rostral and caudal middle frontal gyri. Study Two examine childhood socioeconomic (age 9) and white matter organization in adulthood and found positive associations in the uncinate fasciculus and cingulum bundle. These studies suggest the prospective association between childhood disadvantage and adult brain structure is long-lasting and highlight the importance of eliminating poverty in childhood.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Dufford, Alexander J."],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Pilyoung Kim","Sarah Watamura","Julia Dmitrieva","Daniel Brisson"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2020,"date_issued":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","date_published":"2020-01-01T08:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:45Z","subjects":["Brain development","Brain structure","Longitudinal","Socioeconomic status","Developmental Psychology","Psychology"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
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"],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/1752"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:rights":["Copyright is held by the author. User is responsible for all copyright compliance.
"],"dc:subject":["Brain development","Brain structure","Longitudinal","Socioeconomic status","Developmental Psychology","Psychology"],"dc:title":["Socioeconomic Disadvantage and Brain Structure in Adulthood"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:02:45Z"}