Income inequality appears to physically alter children’s developing brains, according to new research.
It’s widely understood that income inequality harms society, but new research suggests its effects run even deeper than previously thought, into the developing brains of children.
A 2025 study published in Nature Mental Health examined over 8,000 U.S. children aged 9-10 and found that kids living in states with higher income inequality had thinner brain regions and altered networks involved in thinking and attention. These brain changes were associated with higher rates of anxiety and depression months later.
Crucially, these effects were seen regardless of a family’s own income, meaning that even children from wealthier households are affected by living in unequal societies. So, inequality isn’t just a personal or household problem , it’s a societal toxin that can shape neural development.
The implications are profound: chronic exposure to unequal societies during childhood may leave lasting scars on mental health, reinforcing cycles of disadvantage , stress, and societal instability. Researchers suggest that reducing inequality and improving social support could help protect children's brain development and well-beingbut in the absence of such measures , entire generations may grow up with brains literally shaped by structural inequity.
Reference: Rakesh, D., Patel, V., Pickett, K., et al. (2025). Macroeconomic income inequality, brain structure and function, and mental health. Nature Mental Health. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44220-025-00508-1