Author: Jon Hamilton

A new study finds that the socioeconomics of a preteen’s neighborhood can leave a distinctive pattern in their brain. Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption Andriy Onufriyenko/Getty Images The most powerful factors affecting a child’s brain development involve socioeconomic opportunities, according to a study in the journal Science. The analysis of more than 2,300 9- and 10-year-olds found that environmental factors ranging from household income to education to neighborhood quality are associated with brain differences that can clearly be seen in MRI scans. The researchers also found that preteens who’d grown up in neighborhoods with lower incomes and limited…