Poverty’s Effect on the Amygdala and the Prefrontal Cortex

Growing up in poverty can cause divergence in the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex development, especially when there is no shielding to buffer its effects.Adolescents who live or have lived in poverty and have experienced economic strife often deal with chronic stress that alters the brain's structure and functioning.The medium of stress can affect the connectivity of the amygdala and PFC, which impairs the ability to perceive and react to stress appropriately.A correlation exists between a heightened sensitivity to harmful stimuli and increased brain activity when exposed to stressors in individuals who grew up in poverty compared to their higher socioeconomic status counterparts.Many are more likely to have mental health problems and comparably diminished academic and professional abilities.Most findings point to poverty having a correlation with negative impacts on the brain in the long run, yet buffers such as suitable parenting styles can alleviate these effects.Research on poverty's impact on the amygdala-PFC connection has predominantly been conducted in Western countries and mainly the US; hence, the findings cannot be assumed to translate to other countries with different social and political climates.