Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain, the American Association for the Advancement of Science meeting in Boston yesterday heard.Neuroscientists said many children growing up in very poor families with low social status experience unhealthy levels of stress hormones, which impair their neural development. That effect is on top of any damage caused by inadequate nutrition and exposure to environmental toxins.
Studies by several US universities have revealed the pervasive harm done to the brain, particularly between the ages of six months and three years, from low socio-economic status.
Martha Farah, director of the University of Pennsylvania's centre for cognitive neuroscience, said: "The biggest effects are on language and memory. The finding about memory impairment - the ability to encounter a pattern and remember it - really surprised us."
The Scientific Indian
Science as a way of life
Search
Profile
I am working on some very smart things to say here. Really. Meanwhile, there's this and this. Welcome.
Suggestions
Recent Posts
- TheScian SF Contest 2009 Results
- Dr. M. S. Swaminathan on drought in India
- Pranav Mistry's SixthSense
- Bible and blood in my backyard
- TheScian SF Contest Results on 22nd
- If your parents don't like Ubuntu
- Entangled Reality
- A matter of Life and er... Matter
- Things Fall Apart, in India
- Raymond Carver: On Writing
Recent Comments
- D. C. Sessions on If your parents don't like Ubuntu
- Riesz Fischer on Entangled Reality
- anon on A matter of Life and er... Matter
- Len on A matter of Life and er... Matter
- God on A matter of Life and er... Matter
- Sun on A matter of Life and er... Matter
- Universe on A matter of Life and er... Matter
- Dhaval Rathod on Raymond Carver: On Writing
- IanW on Raymond Carver: On Writing
- small indian cock on How a man's penis got so big
RSS Feed
Today's recommendations
Archives
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- January 2007
- December 2006
- November 2006
- October 2006
- September 2006
- August 2006
« Morals and people of cloth | Main | The Letter Writer of Mumbai »
Poverty in early childhood poisons the brain
Category: Prime Stream
Posted on: February 18, 2008 12:23 PM, by Selva
Find more posts in: 
Medicine & Health
Share this: Facebook Twitter Stumbleupon Reddit Email + More
TrackBacks
TrackBack URL for this entry: http://scienceblogs.com/mt/pings/64459
