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Cingulate Gyrus Volume as a Mediator of the Social Gradient in Cognitive Function
Shervin Assari1,2,3,4, Hossein Zare5,6
1Department of Internal Medicine, Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA, United States.
Journal of Cellular Neuroscience
|March 7, 2025
Summary
Socioeconomic status impacts children's cognitive function partly through cingulate gyrus volume. This brain region partially mediates the link between socioeconomic status and cognitive abilities, with no significant sex differences observed.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Socioeconomic status (SES) is a known predictor of child cognitive function.
- Neurobiological pathways linking SES to cognitive outcomes are not fully understood.
- The cingulate gyrus's role in mediating SES-cognitive function relationships, including sex differences, is underexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the cingulate gyrus's mediating role in the association between SES and cognitive function in children.
- To assess potential sex differences in the neurobiological pathways linking SES to cognitive function.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study.
- Assessed cognitive function via executive function and general cognitive ability composite measures.
- Measured cingulate gyrus volume using structural MRI and analyzed mediation using path analysis, including sex interaction terms.
Main Results:
- Higher SES correlated with larger cingulate gyrus volume and enhanced cognitive function.
- Left cingulate gyrus volume partially mediated the relationship between family/neighborhood SES and cognitive function.
- No significant sex differences were detected in the mediating effects of the cingulate gyrus.
Conclusions:
- The cingulate gyrus partially mediates the association between SES and cognitive function in children.
- Neurobiological changes in the cingulate gyrus may contribute to social disparities in cognitive function.
- These mediating effects do not appear to vary significantly by sex.
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