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Racial/ethnic discrimination shapes adolescent brain connectivity: Social buffers and implications for executive
Natasha Duell1, Gabriella M Alvarez2, Eva H Telzer3
1Department of Psychology and Child Development, California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, United States.
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
|October 8, 2025
Summary
Racial discrimination impacts adolescent executive function by altering brain connectivity. Familism and school support may buffer these negative effects, promoting resilience in young people of color.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Psychology
- Sociology
Background:
- Racial and ethnic discrimination negatively affects adolescent functioning.
- Its impact on adolescent brain development remains understudied.
- Understanding these neural mechanisms can inform resilience and plasticity research.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the longitudinal effect of racial/ethnic discrimination on executive function.
- To investigate the role of resting-state functional connectivity in this process.
- To explore familism and school support as potential buffering factors.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 4669 adolescents of color from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development Study.
- Assessed racial/ethnic discrimination and executive function (Flanker test).
- Analyzed resting-state functional connectivity, familism, and school support.
Main Results:
- Greater discrimination impeded selective attention and inhibitory control.
- This effect was mediated by longitudinal changes in attention network connectivity, particularly in adolescents with low familism.
- Low school support was linked to heightened dorsal attention-salience network connectivity following discrimination.
Conclusions:
- Findings provide neurobiological evidence for how discrimination affects adolescent brain function.
- Familism and school support show potential as protective factors, mitigating the adverse effects of discrimination.
- Highlights the importance of social-environmental strengths in promoting brain health and resilience.
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