Income is associated with hippocampal/amygdala and education with cingulate cortex grey matter volume
M Lotze1, M Domin2, C O Schmidt3
1Functional Imaging Unit, Center for Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, Department of Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology, University Medicine Greifswald, Walther-Rathenau-Str.46, 17475, Greifswald, Germany. martin.lotze@uni-greifswald.de.
Scientific Reports
|November 3, 2020
Summary
Higher income and education levels are linked to increased gray matter volume (GMV) in specific brain regions. Stress and body mass index partially explain these associations, offering insights into socioeconomic status and brain health.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sociology
- Public Health
Background:
- Socioeconomic status (SES), encompassing income and education, significantly impacts life outcomes.
- Brain gray matter volume (GMV) is known to be influenced by SES and lifestyle factors.
- Understanding the neurobiological underpinnings of SES is crucial for public health initiatives.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between socioeconomic status indicators and gray matter volume (GMV) in general population samples.
- To explore potential mediating roles of lifestyle factors (alcohol, cigarettes, BMI, stress) in these relationships.
- To identify specific brain regions associated with income and education.
Main Methods:
- Utilized voxel-based morphometry on MRI data from two independent general population samples (2838 participants).
- Examined associations between years of education, net-equivalent income, and GMV.
- Analyzed mediation effects of alcohol consumption, smoking, body mass index (BMI), and stress.
Main Results:
- Years of education positively correlated with GMV in the anterior cingulate cortex.
- Net-equivalent income showed a positive association with GMV in the hippocampus/amygdala region.
- Stress mediated the income-GMV link; BMI mediated the education-GMV link.
Conclusions:
- SES indicators like education and income are associated with distinct patterns of GMV.
- Lifestyle factors, including stress and BMI, play a mediating role in the relationship between SES and brain structure.
- Findings provide a basis for more targeted, hypotheses-driven research on SES and brain health.
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