Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-2025
Publication Title
Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience
Abstract
Socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with widespread differences in structure of temporal, parietal, occipital, and frontal cortices. Development of sensory processing regions—in particular visual association cortex (VAC) and auditory association cortex (AAC)—may scaffold development of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Experiences that correlate with SES like cognitive stimulation and language may influence VAC and AAC development, in turn allowing the PFC to resolve conflicts between similar stimuli. SES-related differences in these regions may partly explain differences in executive function (EF) skills. Here, we use structural equation modeling of longitudinal data from the Adolescent Brain and Cognitive Development study to test the hypothesis that SES-related differences in AAC and VAC are associated with differences in structure of the PFC and development of the PFC over time, which in turn are associated with development of EF. We found partial support for this model, demonstrating that SES-related differences in PFC structure are mediated by differences in sensory cortex structure, and that SES-related differences in sensory cortex structure mediate the association between SES and EF. These findings highlight the role sensory processing regions play in SES-related differences in PFC development. Future studies should explore proximal environmental factors driving SES-related differences to inform interventions.
Keywords
Cortical surface area, Cortical thickness, Executive function, Prefrontal cortex, Sensory association cortex, Socioeconomic status
Volume
73
DOI
10.1016/j.dcn.2025.101550
ISSN
18789293
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Rights
Licensed to Smith College and distributed CC-BY 4.0 under the Smith College Faculty Open Access Policy.
Recommended Citation
Rosen, Maya L.; Rakesh, Divyangana; and Romeo, Rachel R., "The Role of Socioeconomic Status in Shaping Associations Between Sensory Association Cortex and Prefrontal Structure and Implications for Executive Function" (2025). Neuroscience: Faculty Publications, Smith College, Northampton, MA.
https://scholarworks.smith.edu/nsc_facpubs/156
Comments
Peer reviewed accepted manuscript.