Research

Poverty, crime linked to differences in newborns’ brains

Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis •
Scanning the brains of newborns, researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found that maternal exposure to poverty and crime can influence the structure and function of young brains even before babies make their entrances into the world. Here, the university's Lourdes Bernardez prepares an infant for an MRI scan as part of ongoing research.
Professional raters Lourdes Bernardez (black shirt) and Rachel Ramos (red) prepare an MRI for an infant for a CUDDEL research study at the Malinckrodt Institute of Radiology on March 31, 2022. MATT MILLER/WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
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Poverty and crime can have devastating effects on a child’s health. But a new study from researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis suggests that some environmental factors influence the structure and function of young brains even before babies make their entrances into the world.