Cited by 105Cognitive Abilities and TestingGenetic Associations and EpidemiologyIntergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies

Cognitive and brain development is independently influenced by socioeconomic status and polygenic scores for educational attainment

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Judd, Nicholas, Sauce, Bruno, Wiedenhoeft, John, Tromp, Jeshua, Chaarani, Bader, Schliep, Alexander, van Noort, Betteke, Penttilä, Jani +28 more·2020·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

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Abstract

Significance: The influence of socioeconomic status (SES) inequalities on brain and cognitive development is a hotly debated topic. However, previous studies have not considered that genetic factors overlap with SES. Here we show that SES and EduYears-PGS (a score from thousands of genetic markers for educational attainment) have independent associations with both cognition and global cortical surface area in adolescents. EduYears-PGS also had a localized association in the brain: the intraparietal sulcus, a region related to nonverbal intelligence. In contrast, SES had global, but not regional, associations, and these persisted throughout adolescence. This suggests that the influence of SES inequalities is widespread—a result that opposes the current paradigm and can help inform policies in education.

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Authors
Judd, N., Sauce, B., Wiedenhoeft, J., Tromp, J., Chaarani, B., Schliep, A., van Noort, B., Penttilä, J., Grimmer, Y., Insensee, C., Becker, A., Banaschewski, T., Bokde, A. L. W., Quinlan, E. B., Desrivières, S., Flor, H., Grigis, A., Gowland, P., Heinz, A., Ittermann, B., Martinot, J.-L., Paillère Martinot, M.-L., Artiges, E., Nees, F., Papadopoulos Orfanos, D., Paus, T., Poustka, L., Hohmann, S., Millenet, S., Fröhner, J. H., Smolka, M. N., Walter, H., Whelan, R., Schumann, G., Garavan, H., & Klingberg, T.
Affiliations
  • Karolinska Institutet (SE)
  • University of Göttingen (DE)
  • Leiden University (NL)
  • University of Vermont (US)
  • University of Gothenburg (SE)
  • Hochschule für Gesundheit und Medizin, Medical School Berlin, Berlin, 14197, Germany;
  • Tampere University (FI)
  • Heidelberg University (DE)
  • Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (DE)
  • Trinity College Dublin (IE)
  • King's College London (GB)
  • University of Mannheim (DE)
  • Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR)
  • University of Nottingham (GB)
  • Stiftung Charité (DE)
  • Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (DE)
  • Inserm (FR)
  • INSERM Unit 1000 “Neuroimaging & Psychiatry,” Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, University Paris Saclay, University Paris Descartes, Paris, 75006, France;
  • NeuroSpin, French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA), Université Paris-Saclay, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France;
  • University of Toronto (CA)
  • Technische Universität Dresden (DE)
  • Neuroimaging Center (DE)
  • Centre for Population Neuroscience and Precision Medicine (PONS), Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, SE5 8AF, United Kingdom;
Venue
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences
Published
2020-05-19
Volume
117
Issue
22
Pages
12411-12418
ISSN
  • 0027-8424 (ISSN-L)
  • 1091-6490
OpenAlex
W3026770126
Cited by
105
References
67
Citations by year
2026: 9 · 2025: 14 · 2024: 17 · 2023: 23 · 2022: 17 · 2021: 23 · 2019: 1
FWCI
15.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (publishedVersion)
  • bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) (acceptedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Research Portal (King's College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01GS08152, 01EV0711)
  • ECR Advanced Grant STRATIFY (695313)
  • Forschungsnetz AERIAL (01EE1406A, 01EE1406B)
  • ANR GeBra (AAPG2019)
  • Wenner-Gren Foundation (UPD2018-0295)
  • Vetenskapsradet (2015-02850)
  • National Institute of Health (1 U01 CA198952-01)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Associations and Epidemiology
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Intergenerational and Educational Inequality Studies
Keywords
socioeconomic status, educational attainment, polygenic risk score, cognitive development, brain development, cortical surface area, white matter, adolescence, parental education, educational inequality, nonverbal cognition, parietal lobe
MeSH terms
Academic Success, Adolescent, Adult, Brain, Cognition, Educational Status, Female, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Social Class, Multifactorial Inheritance, Young Adult

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