Associations between cortical thickness and reasoning differ by socioeconomic status in development

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Developmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Socioeconomic status (SES) generally correlates negatively with cognitive performance.
• Individual differences in cognitive abilities, like fluid reasoning, may have distinct neural underpinnings that vary by SES.
• The rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) is implicated in fluid reasoning, a key component of intelligence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate whether the relationship between cortical structure and fluid reasoning differs across socioeconomic status (SES) levels during development.
• To examine the role of rostrolateral prefrontal cortex (RLPFC) thickness in fluid reasoning across different SES groups in children and adolescents.

Main Methods:

• Examined cortical thickness of the RLPFC in relation to fluid reasoning abilities in two independent samples: 115 children (4-7 years) and 59 adolescents (12-16 years).
• Analyzed the differential relationship between RLPFC thickness and fluid reasoning based on participants' SES.
• Investigated age-related changes in RLPFC thickness and reasoning within SES groups.

Main Results:

• Bilateral RLPFC thickness positively correlated with fluid reasoning in lower-SES children, but not in higher-SES children.
• This SES-dependent relationship between RLPFC structure and fluid reasoning was observed in both child and adolescent samples.
• Younger, lower-SES children with higher reasoning skills showed a positive association between RLPFC thickness and age.

Conclusions:

• The neural correlates of fluid reasoning, specifically RLPFC cortical thickness, vary significantly by socioeconomic status (SES) during development.
• These findings highlight the complex interplay between environment, brain structure, and cognitive abilities.
• Understanding these SES-related differences is crucial for addressing cognitive disparities in developing populations.