“Cognitively speaking, there may be no way to recover from a disadvantaged childhood.”

by Tom Jacobs

“The aging of the Baby Boomers has inspired a lot of research into how we can stave off old-age cognitive decline. But a large new study suggests the most effective interventions may take place at the beginning of one’s life.

“It finds people who grew up in socially disadvantaged households—defined as crowded living quarters that are lacking in books—tend to score lower than others on tests of cognitive skills.

“This gap apparently does not increase over time, but it remains significant after taking into account such factors as education, employment, and physical health.”

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