- Participants were recruited from various institutions as part of a larger study on adolescent neurocognitive development. 
- Data from 58 students (27 male, 31 female) was analyzed. 
- Student participants provided written assent while parents provided written consent. 
- The participants did not differ in age. 
- The higher-income group reported these racial and ethnic identities: 6% African American, 14% Asian, 54% White, 3% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 17% multiple races, 6% did not report race. 91% reported not Hispanic, 3% Hispanic, and 6% did not report ethnicity. 
- The lower-income group reported these identities: 22% African American, 4% Asian, 54% White, 4% Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, 26% multiple races, 35% did not report race. 35% reported not Hispanic and 65% Hispanic. 


Correlation of cortical grey matter with the income-achievement gap methods: Participants


- The status of students receiving free or reduced-price lunches was obtained from a database from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
- Twenty-three students (7 boys, 16 girls) received free or reduced-price lunch within their 3 years of participation in the study, while 35 students (20 boys, 15 girls) did not. 

Correlation of cortical grey matter with the income-achievement gap methods: Income Groups

- The study utilized students' scores on the Massachusetts Comprehensive Assessment System (MCAS) in 2012.
- MCAS tests were administered in March and May. Scaled scores were obtained for Math and English/Language Arts. 


Correlation of cortical grey matter with the income-achievement gap methods: Standardized Test Scores

- Participants
- Income groups 
- Standardized test scores
- Neuroimaging-data acquisition
- Structural-imaging analyses 

Barnard College

- A study found that cortical grey matter was significantly greater in students with higher-income backgrounds when compared to students with lower-income backgrounds. 
- Cortical thickness was found to be greater across many lobes of the brain in students with higher-income backgrounds when compared to students with lower-income backgrounds
- Greater cortical thickness was found to be associated with better test performance. 


Correlations of cortical grey matter with the income achievement gap

Mackey A. P., Finn A. S., Leonard J. A., Jacoby-Senghor D. S., West M. R., Gabrieli C. F. O., et al. . (2015). Neuroanatomical correlates of the income-achievement gap. Psychol. Sci. 26, 925–933. 10.1177/0956797615572233

Neuroanatomical correlates of the income achievement gap

 Correlation of cortical grey matter with the income-achievement gap: Methods

Cortical thickness in the clusters found to correlate with MCAS performance could account for as much as 44% of the income-achievement gap present in the sample that was studied.

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