Income change alters default mode network connectivity for adolescents in poverty
David G. Weissman, R. Conger, R. Robins, P. Hastings, A. Guyer
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience January 31, 2018 DOI: 10.1016/j.dcn.2018.01.008 (opens in new tab)
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Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Observational longitudinal study Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 68 |
| Population | Mexican-origin adolescents (35 females) followed from ages 10 to 16 years |
| Duration | Annual family income reports from ages 10 to 16; neuroimaging at age 16 |
| Topics | Default mode network |
| Key findings | Adolescents from high- and low-income families did not differ in default mode network functional connectivity. Among lower-income adolescents, however, increasing family income was associated with greater connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex and medial prefrontal cortex, and between the posterior cingulate cortex and right inferior frontal gyrus. Income increases were also associated with greater medial prefrontal connectivity with the right inferior frontal gyrus and left superior parietal lobule regardless of mean income. |
Abstract
Experiencing poverty during childhood and adolescence may affect brain function. However, income is dynamic, and studies have not addressed whether income change relates to brain function. In the present study, we investigated whether intrinsic functional connectivity of default mode network (DMN) regions was influenced by mean family income and family income change. Parents of 68 Mexican-origin adolescents (35 females) reported family income annually when adolescents were 10–16 years old. Intercept and slope of income at each of these ages were calculated for each participant. At age 16 years, adolescents completed a resting state functional neuroimaging scan. Adolescents from high and low income families did not differ in their functional connectivity, but for adolescents in families with lower incomes, their connectivity patterns depended on their income slope. Low-income adolescents whose income increased demonstrated greater connectivity between the posterior cingulate cortex (PCC) and the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), both DMN regions, and between the PCC and the right inferior frontal gyrus. Increases in income were associated with greater connectivity of the mPFC with the right inferior frontal gyrus and the left superior parietal lobule regardless of mean income. Increases in income, especially among adolescents in poverty, may alleviate stressors, influencing the development of brain networks.
Comparable studies
Other observational and cohort studies on default mode network, most cited first.
| Study | Year | Design | Participants |
|---|---|---|---|
| A default mode of brain function Normal adult human brain | 2001 | Observational study | |
| Resting-State Functional Connectivity Reflects Structural Connectivity in the Default Mode Network Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational cohort | |
| Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness Participants with extensive Insight meditation experience and matched controls | 2005 | Observational cohort | n = 20 |
| Meditation experience is associated with differences in default mode network activity and connectivity Experienced meditators and matched meditation-naive controls | 2011 | Observational cohort | |
| The precuneus/posterior cingulate cortex plays a pivotal role in the default mode network: Evidence from a partial correlation network analysis Healthy subjects | 2008 | Observational study |
Citations in the library
Cited by 2
- Neurobehavioral pathways linking socioeconomic status hardship to suicide risk versus resilience in young adolescents: the roles of sleep health and default mode network connectivity. Translational Psychiatry November 24, 2025
- Chronic Early Stress Impairs Default Mode Network Connectivity in Preadolescents and Their Mothers. Biological psychiatry. Cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging January 2019
Cites 3
- Functional connectivity of default mode network components: Correlation, anticorrelation, and causality Human Brain Mapping January 24, 2008
- On the relationship between the “default mode network” and the “social brain” Frontiers in Human Neuroscience 2012
- Functional connectivity in the resting brain: A network analysis of the default mode hypothesis Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences December 27, 2002