I am extremely grateful for the support provided to my research by the Medical Research Council and the Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation. With the high prevalence of childhood poverty in the UK (29%) and worldwide along with increasing inequality in recent decades, there is pressing need to address disparities in children’s academic and psychosocial outcomes and identify targets for intervention. These grants will give me the opportunity to contribute novel neuroscientific insights into the field.”
Dr Divyangana Rakesh, Lecturer in Neuroscience and Psychology
14 January 2025
Dr Divyangana Rakesh receives MRC New Investigator Research Grant (NIRG) and the BBRF Young Investigator Grant
These awards support her research into how low socioeconomic status (SES) impacts brain development and mental health.
Dr Divyangana Rakesh, a Lecturer in the Department of Neuroimaging, has been awarded the Medical Research Council New Investigator Research Grant (MRC NIRG) and Brain & Behaviour Research Foundation (BBRF) Young Investigator Grant. These prestigious awards will support her investigation into the biological mechanisms underlying the impact of low SES on cognition and mental health.
Bridging the Gap: Socioeconomic Status, the Pace of Brain Development, and Cognitive Function in Young People
Low SES is associated with lower cognitive performance and academic achievement during childhood and adolescence resulting in long-term consequences for success. These disparities significantly impact both individuals and their families as well as society as a whole.
The project, supported by MRC NIRG, aims to shed light on the underlying neural and environmental mechanisms of this association. Specifically, it aims to characterise the relationships between low SES and brain development during infancy and adolescence, identify the environmental factors mediating this association, and investigate the role of SES-related differences in brain development in cognitive and academic outcomes.
Previous studies faced many challenges including small sample size, insufficient consideration of the critical period of brain plasticity during infancy, and lack of information on environmental factors outside the households. The project aims to address all these critical challenges and utilise large, population-based datasets that include data on environmental factors within the home and neighbourhood.
Pathways to Risk and Resilience in Adolescence: Socioeconomic Status, Pubertal and Brain Development, and Psychopathology
Low SES has also been associated with a substantially higher risk of psychopathology in adolescents, through the impact of stress on the brain and body. Adolescence is a critical developmental period where many biological and neurobiological changes occur, resulting in increased vulnerability to developing mental health issues.
A potential explanation for this link is accelerated pubertal development, where stressful environments, such as low SES, expedite the maturation of brain regions involved in emotion processing and regulation. This acceleration, paired with changes in sex hormones, may contribute to the emergence of depression and anxiety.
Supported by the BBRF Young Investigator Grant, this project will determine how low SES influences pubertal and brain development, ultimately contributing to psychopathology. In addition, the project will identify modifiable factors within the home, school, and neighbourhood that can buffer these negative effects.
Dr Rakesh is one of three IoPPN researchers receiving this year's BBRF Young Investigator Grants. The other recipients were Dr Julian Mutz and Dr Frederike Winkel.
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Lecturer in Neuroscience and Psychology