TED Salon: Education Everywhere
Kimberly Noble: How does income affect childhood brain development?
Filmed:
Readability: 4.5
2,016,105 views
Neuroscientist and pediatrician Kimberly Noble is leading the Baby's First Years study: the first-ever randomized study of how family income changes children's cognitive, emotional and brain development. She and a team of economists and policy experts are working together to find out: Can we help kids in poverty simply by giving families more money? "The brain is not destiny," Noble says. "And if a child's brain can be changed, then anything is possible."
Kimberly Noble - Neuroscientist, pediatrician
Kimberly Noble, MD, PhD, studies how socioeconomic inequality relates to children's cognitive and brain development. Full bio
Kimberly Noble, MD, PhD, studies how socioeconomic inequality relates to children's cognitive and brain development. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:12
What I'm about to share with you
are findings from a study
are findings from a study
0
971
3239
00:16
of the brains of more than 1,000
children and adolescents.
children and adolescents.
1
4234
3151
00:20
Now, these were children
who were recruited
who were recruited
2
8038
2000
00:22
from diverse homes
around the United States,
around the United States,
3
10062
2290
00:24
and this picture is an average
of all of their brains.
of all of their brains.
4
12376
3046
00:28
The front of this average brain
is on your left
is on your left
5
16189
2214
00:30
and the back of this average brain
is on your right.
is on your right.
6
18427
2448
00:33
Now, one of the things
we were very interested in
we were very interested in
7
21287
2399
00:35
was the surface area
of the cerebral cortex,
of the cerebral cortex,
8
23710
3115
00:38
or the thin, wrinkly layer
on the outer surface of the brain
on the outer surface of the brain
9
26849
3014
00:41
that does most
of the cognitive heavy lifting.
of the cognitive heavy lifting.
10
29887
2920
00:46
And that's because past work
by other scientists has suggested
by other scientists has suggested
11
34673
3141
00:49
that in many cases,
12
37838
1544
00:51
a larger cortical surface area
13
39406
2254
00:53
is often associated
with higher intelligence.
with higher intelligence.
14
41684
2603
00:57
Now, in this study, we found one factor
15
45221
3037
01:00
that was associated
with the cortical surface area
with the cortical surface area
16
48282
2573
01:02
across nearly the entire
surface of the brain.
surface of the brain.
17
50879
3182
01:07
That factor was family income.
18
55891
2874
01:12
Now, here, every point you see in color
is a point where higher family income
is a point where higher family income
19
60401
4518
01:16
was associated with a larger
cortical surface area in that spot.
cortical surface area in that spot.
20
64943
3709
01:21
And there were some regions,
shown here in yellow,
shown here in yellow,
21
69592
2611
01:24
where that association
was particularly pronounced.
was particularly pronounced.
22
72227
2629
01:27
And those are regions that we know support
a certain set of cognitive skills:
a certain set of cognitive skills:
23
75351
4544
01:31
language skills
like vocabulary and reading
like vocabulary and reading
24
79919
3410
01:35
as well as the ability
to avoid distraction
to avoid distraction
25
83353
2292
01:37
and exert self-control.
26
85669
1422
01:39
And that's important,
27
87525
1497
01:41
because those are the very skills
28
89046
1979
01:43
that children living in poverty
are most likely to struggle with.
are most likely to struggle with.
29
91049
3463
01:47
In fact, a child living with poverty
30
95400
2629
01:50
is likely to perform worse on tests
of language and impulse control
of language and impulse control
31
98053
4466
01:54
before they even turn two.
32
102543
2121
01:58
Now, there are a few points
I'd like to highlight about this study.
I'd like to highlight about this study.
33
106013
3473
02:01
Number one:
34
109510
1167
02:02
this link between family income
and children's brain structure
and children's brain structure
35
110701
3658
02:06
was strongest at the lowest income levels.
36
114383
2515
02:09
So that means that dollar for dollar,
37
117447
2117
02:11
relatively small differences
in family income
in family income
38
119588
2364
02:13
were associated with proportionately
greater differences in brain structure
greater differences in brain structure
39
121976
3670
02:17
among the most disadvantaged families.
40
125670
2443
02:20
And intuitively, that makes sense, right?
41
128137
2160
02:22
An extra 20,000 dollars for a family
earning, say, 150,000 dollars a year
earning, say, 150,000 dollars a year
42
130321
4262
02:26
would certainly be nice,
but probably not game-changing,
but probably not game-changing,
43
134607
4310
02:30
whereas an extra 20,000 dollars
44
138941
1824
02:32
for a family only earning
20,000 dollars a year
20,000 dollars a year
45
140789
2401
02:35
would likely make a remarkable difference
in their day-to-day lives.
in their day-to-day lives.
46
143214
3206
02:39
Now, the second point
I'd like to highlight
I'd like to highlight
47
147254
2000
02:41
is that this link between family income
and children's brain structure
and children's brain structure
48
149278
4333
02:45
didn't depend on the children's age,
49
153635
2165
02:47
it didn't depend on their sex
50
155824
2221
02:50
and it didn't depend
on their race or ethnicity.
on their race or ethnicity.
51
158069
2416
02:53
And the final point --
52
161982
1150
02:55
and this one's key --
53
163156
1354
02:56
there was tremendous variability
from one child to the next,
from one child to the next,
54
164534
4472
03:01
by which I mean there were plenty
of children from higher-income homes
of children from higher-income homes
55
169030
3304
03:04
with smaller brain surfaces
56
172358
1835
03:06
and plenty of children
from lower-income homes
from lower-income homes
57
174217
2780
03:09
with larger brain surfaces.
58
177021
1623
03:11
Here's an analogy.
59
179553
1298
03:12
We all know that in childhood,
60
180875
1637
03:14
boys tend to be taller than girls,
61
182536
2480
03:17
but go into any elementary
school classroom,
school classroom,
62
185040
2510
03:19
and you'll find some girls
who are taller than some boys.
who are taller than some boys.
63
187574
3173
03:23
So while growing up in poverty
is certainly a risk factor
is certainly a risk factor
64
191778
2707
03:26
for a smaller brain surface,
65
194509
1728
03:28
in no way can I know an individual
child's family income
child's family income
66
196261
3883
03:32
and know with any accuracy
67
200168
1271
03:33
what that particular child's brain
would look like.
would look like.
68
201463
2830
03:37
I want you to imagine,
for a moment, two children.
for a moment, two children.
69
205167
2842
03:40
One is a young child
born into poverty in America;
born into poverty in America;
70
208033
2910
03:42
the other is also an American child,
71
210967
2517
03:45
but one who was born
into more fortunate circumstances.
into more fortunate circumstances.
72
213508
2663
03:49
Now, at birth, we find
absolutely no differences
absolutely no differences
73
217286
3942
03:53
in how their brains work.
74
221252
1526
03:56
But by the time those two kids
are ready to start kindergarten,
are ready to start kindergarten,
75
224322
3011
03:59
we know that the child living in poverty
76
227357
2353
04:01
is likely to have cognitive scores
that are, on average, 60 percent lower
that are, on average, 60 percent lower
77
229734
4873
04:06
than those of the other child.
78
234631
1542
04:09
Later on, that child living in poverty
79
237309
1907
04:11
will be five times more likely
to drop out of high school,
to drop out of high school,
80
239240
3302
04:14
and if she does graduate high school,
81
242566
1793
04:16
she'll be less likely to earn
a college degree.
a college degree.
82
244383
2535
04:20
By the time those two kids
are 35 years old,
are 35 years old,
83
248000
3410
04:23
if the first child spent
her entire childhood living in poverty,
her entire childhood living in poverty,
84
251434
3946
04:27
she is up to 75 times
more likely to be poor herself.
more likely to be poor herself.
85
255404
4978
04:34
But it doesn't have to be that way.
86
262103
1690
04:36
As a neuroscientist, one of things
I find most exciting about the human brain
I find most exciting about the human brain
87
264231
5262
04:41
is that our experiences change our brains.
88
269517
3398
04:45
Now, this concept,
known as neuroplasticity,
known as neuroplasticity,
89
273611
3824
04:49
means that these differences
in children's brain structure
in children's brain structure
90
277459
2755
04:52
don't doom a child
to a life of low achievement.
to a life of low achievement.
91
280238
2717
04:55
The brain is not destiny.
92
283716
2419
04:59
And if a child's brain can be changed,
93
287510
2180
05:01
then anything is possible.
94
289714
1687
05:04
As a society, we spend billions of dollars
each year, educating our children.
each year, educating our children.
95
292999
4911
05:09
So what can we tell schools,
teachers and parents
teachers and parents
96
297934
2528
05:12
who want to help support kids
from disadvantaged backgrounds
from disadvantaged backgrounds
97
300486
2810
05:15
to do their best in school and in life?
98
303320
1945
05:17
Well, emerging science suggests
99
305919
1829
05:19
that growing up in poverty is associated
with a host of different experiences
with a host of different experiences
100
307772
4268
05:24
and that these experiences
in turn may work together
in turn may work together
101
312064
2649
05:26
to help shape brain development
and ultimately help kids learn.
and ultimately help kids learn.
102
314737
3183
05:30
And so if this is right,
103
318225
1355
05:31
it begs the question:
104
319604
1324
05:32
Where along this pathway
can we step in and provide help?
can we step in and provide help?
105
320952
3025
05:36
So let's consider first intervening
at the level of learning itself --
at the level of learning itself --
106
324470
3402
05:39
most commonly through
school-based initiatives.
school-based initiatives.
107
327896
2265
05:42
Now, should we be encouraging teachers
to focus on the kinds of skills
to focus on the kinds of skills
108
330486
3286
05:45
that disadvantaged kids
are most likely to struggle with?
are most likely to struggle with?
109
333796
2974
05:48
Of course.
110
336794
1151
05:49
The importance of high-quality education
based in scientific evidence
based in scientific evidence
111
337969
3268
05:53
really can't be overstated.
112
341261
1434
05:54
And there are a number of examples
of excellent interventions
of excellent interventions
113
342719
2858
05:57
targeting things like literacy
or self-regulation
or self-regulation
114
345601
2428
06:00
that do in fact improve kids' cognitive
development and their test scores.
development and their test scores.
115
348053
3556
06:04
But as any intervention scientist
doing this work would tell you,
doing this work would tell you,
116
352647
3537
06:08
this work is challenging.
117
356208
1366
06:09
It's hard to implement high-quality,
evidence-based education.
evidence-based education.
118
357598
3225
06:12
And it can be labor-intensive,
119
360847
1450
06:14
it's sometimes costly.
120
362321
2433
06:16
And in many cases, these disparities
in child development emerge early --
in child development emerge early --
121
364778
3833
06:20
well before the start
of formal schooling --
of formal schooling --
122
368635
2102
06:22
sometimes when kids are just toddlers.
123
370761
2235
06:25
And so I would argue:
124
373582
1422
06:27
school is very important,
125
375028
1952
06:29
but if we're focusing
all of our policy efforts
all of our policy efforts
126
377004
3106
06:32
on formal schooling,
127
380134
1575
06:33
we're probably starting too late.
128
381733
2187
06:36
So what about taking a step back
129
384969
2126
06:39
and focusing on trying to change
children's experiences?
children's experiences?
130
387119
2779
06:42
What particular experiences
are associated with growing up in poverty
are associated with growing up in poverty
131
390685
3351
06:46
and might be able to be targeted
to promote brain development
to promote brain development
132
394060
2865
06:48
and learning outcomes for kids?
133
396949
1627
06:50
Of course, there are many, right?
134
398957
1971
06:52
Nutrition, access to health care,
135
400952
3203
06:56
exposure to second-hand smoke or lead,
136
404179
3409
06:59
experience of stress or discrimination,
137
407612
2125
07:01
to name a few.
138
409761
1323
07:03
In my laboratory,
139
411653
1150
07:04
we're particularly focused
on a few types of experiences
on a few types of experiences
140
412827
2862
07:07
that we believe may be able to be targeted
141
415713
2669
07:10
to promote children's brain development
142
418406
2024
07:12
and ultimately improve
their learning outcomes.
their learning outcomes.
143
420454
2247
07:15
As one example,
144
423160
1150
07:16
take something I'll call
the home language environment,
the home language environment,
145
424334
3249
07:19
by which I mean, we know
that the number of words kids hear
that the number of words kids hear
146
427607
3635
07:23
and the number of conversations
they're engaged in every day
they're engaged in every day
147
431266
2810
07:26
can vary tremendously.
148
434100
1427
07:28
By some estimates,
149
436067
1284
07:29
kids from more advantaged backgrounds
150
437375
2257
07:31
hear an average of 30 million
more spoken words
more spoken words
151
439656
3136
07:34
in the first few years of life
152
442816
1677
07:36
compared to kids from less
advantaged backgrounds.
advantaged backgrounds.
153
444517
2528
07:39
Now, in our work, we're finding
154
447745
1540
07:41
that kids who experience
more back-and-forth,
more back-and-forth,
155
449309
2921
07:44
responsive conversational turns
156
452254
2227
07:46
tend to have a larger brain surface
in parts of the brain
in parts of the brain
157
454505
3363
07:49
that we know are responsible
for language and reading skills.
for language and reading skills.
158
457892
2919
07:53
And in fact, the number
of conversations they hear
of conversations they hear
159
461520
2334
07:55
seems to matter a little bit more
than the sheer number of words they hear.
than the sheer number of words they hear.
160
463878
3579
08:00
So one tantalizing possibility
161
468432
1952
08:02
is that we should be teaching parents
not just to talk a lot,
not just to talk a lot,
162
470408
2976
08:05
but to actually have more conversations
with their children.
with their children.
163
473408
2911
08:08
In this way, it's possible
that we'll promote brain development
that we'll promote brain development
164
476752
2953
08:11
and perhaps their kids' language
and reading skills.
and reading skills.
165
479729
2726
08:15
And in fact, a number
of scientists are testing
of scientists are testing
166
483030
2201
08:17
that exciting possibility right now.
167
485255
2148
08:20
But of course, we all know
168
488055
1250
08:21
that growing up in poverty is associated
with lots of different experiences
with lots of different experiences
169
489329
3535
08:24
beyond just how many
conversations kids are having.
conversations kids are having.
170
492888
2435
08:27
So how do we choose what else to focus on?
171
495347
2624
08:30
The list can be overwhelming.
172
498679
2087
08:32
There are a number
of high-quality interventions
of high-quality interventions
173
500790
2362
08:35
that do try to change
children's experience,
children's experience,
174
503176
2242
08:37
many of which are quite effective.
175
505442
1636
08:39
But again, just like
school-based initiatives,
school-based initiatives,
176
507733
2143
08:41
this is hard work.
177
509900
1180
08:43
It can be challenging,
178
511104
1262
08:44
it can be labor-intensive,
179
512390
1488
08:45
sometimes costly ...
180
513902
2622
08:48
and on occasion,
181
516548
1285
08:49
it can be somewhat patronizing
for scientists to swoop in
for scientists to swoop in
182
517857
2963
08:52
and tell a family what they need to change
in order for their child to succeed.
in order for their child to succeed.
183
520844
3918
08:57
So I want to share an idea with you.
184
525619
2400
09:01
What if we tried to help
young children in poverty
young children in poverty
185
529639
3425
09:05
by simply giving
their families more money?
their families more money?
186
533088
2647
09:10
I'm privileged to be working
with a team of economists,
with a team of economists,
187
538027
2572
09:12
social policy experts and neuroscientists
188
540623
2085
09:14
in leading Baby's First Years,
189
542732
2193
09:16
the first-ever randomized study
190
544949
2196
09:19
to test whether poverty reduction causes
changes in children's brain development.
changes in children's brain development.
191
547169
5345
09:25
Now, the ambition of the study is large,
192
553846
2082
09:27
but the premise is actually quite simple.
193
555952
2092
09:30
In May of 2018,
194
558626
1150
09:31
we began recruiting 1,000 mothers
living below the federal poverty line
living below the federal poverty line
195
559800
4041
09:35
shortly after they gave birth
in a number of American hospitals.
in a number of American hospitals.
196
563865
3035
09:40
Upon enrolling in our study,
197
568076
1597
09:41
all mothers receive
an unconditional monthly cash gift
an unconditional monthly cash gift
198
569697
4162
09:45
for the first 40 months
of their children's lives,
of their children's lives,
199
573883
3020
09:48
and they're free to use this money
however they like.
however they like.
200
576927
2484
09:52
But importantly,
mothers are being randomized,
mothers are being randomized,
201
580730
2855
09:55
so some mothers are randomized
to receive a nominal monthly cash gift
to receive a nominal monthly cash gift
202
583609
4640
10:00
and others are randomized to receive
several hundred dollars each month,
several hundred dollars each month,
203
588273
4440
10:04
an amount that we believe is large enough
204
592737
1973
10:06
to make a difference
in their day-to-day lives,
in their day-to-day lives,
205
594734
2191
10:08
in most cases increasing
their monthly income by 20 to 25 percent.
their monthly income by 20 to 25 percent.
206
596949
3459
10:13
So in this way,
207
601357
1418
10:14
we're hoping to finally move
past questions
past questions
208
602799
2536
10:17
of how poverty is correlated
with child development
with child development
209
605359
3684
10:21
and actually be able to test
whether reducing poverty causes changes
whether reducing poverty causes changes
210
609067
4684
10:25
in children's cognitive, emotional
and brain development
and brain development
211
613775
3126
10:28
in the first three years of life --
212
616925
2148
10:31
the very time when we believe
213
619097
1381
10:32
the developing brain may be
most malleable to experience.
most malleable to experience.
214
620502
3527
10:37
Now, we won't have definitive results
from this study for several years,
from this study for several years,
215
625179
3828
10:41
and if nothing else,
216
629031
1550
10:42
1,000 newborns and their moms
will have a bit more cash each month
will have a bit more cash each month
217
630605
3096
10:45
that they tell us they very much need.
218
633725
1843
10:48
But what if it turns out
that a cost-effective way
that a cost-effective way
219
636106
3798
10:51
to help young children in poverty
220
639928
2386
10:54
is to simply give their moms more money?
221
642338
2820
10:58
If our hypotheses are borne out,
222
646982
1951
11:00
it's our hope that results from this work
will inform debates about social services
will inform debates about social services
223
648957
4177
11:05
that have the potential to effect millions
of families with young children.
of families with young children.
224
653158
3626
11:09
Because while income may not be the only
or even the most important factor
or even the most important factor
225
657840
3790
11:13
in determining children's
brain development,
brain development,
226
661654
2539
11:16
it may be one that,
227
664217
1243
11:17
from a policy perspective,
228
665484
1919
11:19
can be easily addressed.
229
667427
1655
11:22
Put simply,
230
670327
1389
11:23
if we can show that reducing poverty
changes how children's brains develop
changes how children's brains develop
231
671740
5103
11:28
and that leads to meaningful
policy changes,
policy changes,
232
676867
3307
11:32
then a young child born into poverty today
233
680198
3064
11:35
may have a much better shot
at a brighter future.
at a brighter future.
234
683286
3711
11:39
Thank you.
235
687559
1151
11:40
(Applause)
236
688734
5504
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kimberly Noble - Neuroscientist, pediatricianKimberly Noble, MD, PhD, studies how socioeconomic inequality relates to children's cognitive and brain development.
Why you should listen
Trained as a neuroscientist and board-certified pediatrician, Dr. Kimberly Noble has examined disparities in development and health across infancy, childhood and adolescence. She is currently an Associate Professor of Neuroscience and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where she directs the Neurocognition, Early Experience and Development (NEED) Lab. She received her undergraduate, graduate and medical degrees at the University of Pennsylvania and was the recipient of the Association for Psychological Science Janet Taylor Spence Award for Transformative Early Career Contributions.
In collaboration with a multidisciplinary team of scientists from around the United States, Noble is co-directing the Baby's First Years study, the first clinical trial of poverty reduction to assess the causal impact of income on children's cognitive, emotional and brain development in the first three years of life. Her work has received worldwide attention in the popular press, including the Washington Post, The Economist, Newsweek, The Guardian, Le Monde and NPR. A full list of her publications can be found here.
Kimberly Noble | Speaker | TED.com