New Research Links Neighborhood Disadvantage to Brain Activity and Depression Risk in Children

Children who grow up in disadvantaged neighborhoods areas with higher crime rates, economic hardship, and limited access to community resources face an increased risk of developing depression. New findings from Binghamton University may shed light on why this happens.

Led by Professor of Psychology Brandon Gibb, the research team including graduate student Elana Israel and former graduate students Cope Feurer and Aliona Tsypes found that children living in these challenging environments show reduced brain responses to rewards and losses. However, this effect was only seen in children who already had a family history of depression, suggesting a compounding risk.

“My research focuses on how the brain’s response to rewards is linked to depression risk,” said Israel. “While past studies have examined individual experiences of stress, less attention has been given to the impact of broader, community-level stressors.”

To explore this connection, the researchers studied over 200 children aged 7 to 11. They assessed whether each child had a parent with a history of major depressive disorder and gathered neighborhood data using the children’s zip codes looking at factors like crime rates and socioeconomic status. The children then completed a simple task involving monetary wins and losses while their brain activity was monitored using electroencephalogram (EEG) technology.

The results revealed that children from more disadvantaged neighborhoods showed a muted neural response to both positive and negative outcomes. This effect was most pronounced in children with a parental history of depression.

“When something good or bad happens, the brain reacts and we can measure that,” said Gibb. “But our study suggests that chronic exposure to neighborhood stress can dull these responses, especially in children who are already at risk. It’s not just about individual experiences; the broader environment matters, too.”

Gibb explained that growing up in stressful surroundings may teach children to suppress emotional reactions, whether positive or negative. Over time, this can reduce motivation and increase vulnerability to depression.

“We want kids to feel excited when good things happen that excitement drives engagement and growth,” Gibb added. “But constant stress may blunt that natural response.”

Looking ahead, the researchers have launched a new study to observe how moving to a different neighborhood affects children's brain activity and depression risk. They also plan to examine similar effects in teenagers, particularly in response to social experiences like peer acceptance and rejection.

This research highlights the significant influence of community environments on mental health. “Even if children aren’t directly affected by crime or poverty, just living in a high-stress neighborhood can impact their mental well-being,” Gibb said. “That’s why improving neighborhood conditions is so important.”

The study, Parental History of Major Depressive Disorder Moderates the Relation Between Neighborhood Disadvantage and Reward Responsiveness in Children, was published in Research on Child and Adolescent Psychopathology.

Source: https://www.binghamton.edu/news/story/5536/study-neighborhood-stress-may-impact-kids-brains-and-increase-depression-risk