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: How does income affect childhood brain development?

How does income affect childhood brain development?

Neuroplasticity offers hope: Despite poverty's effect on the brain, its malleable nature means early interventions could reshape futures.

Higher family income correlates with larger brain surface areas crucial for cognitive skills like language and self-control.

Interventions in early childhood can alter brain development, suggesting a potent role of experiences in shaping young minds.