The Neuropsychology of Poverty: A Literature Review on the Impact of Socioeconomic Stress on Executive Brain Function

Philips Septiano El Qorazon Pelor

doi:10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i03.49163

The Neuropsychology of Poverty: A Literature Review on the Impact of Socioeconomic Stress on Executive Brain Function

Author(s)	Philips Septiano El Qorazon Pelor
Country	Indonesia
Abstract	Poverty has long been recognized as a structural barrier to human development, but its specific impact on neurocognitive processes—particularly executive function (EF)—has only recently been illuminated through interdisciplinary research. This integrative literature review synthesizes empirical findings from neuroscience, developmental psychology, and social sciences to examine how chronic poverty impairs EF development across the lifespan. Drawing upon the toxic stress model, bio-psycho-social theory, neuroconstructivism, and cultural neuroscience, this review evaluates pathways by which poverty alters brain architecture, stress regulation, and cognitive performance. Key findings demonstrate that children exposed to prolonged socioeconomic deprivation show reduced activation and structural integrity in prefrontal and hippocampal regions, disrupted HPA-axis regulation, and lower performance in working memory, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control. The review further highlights the role of environmental moderators—such as caregiving quality, nutrition, and cultural context—in buffering or exacerbating these effects. In low- and middle-income settings, structural violence and institutional neglect amplify these risks, suggesting the need for culturally grounded assessment and intervention strategies. This review contributes to a growing field of cognitive social neuroscience by offering a multi-level framework for understanding poverty’s impact on EF. It argues for interdisciplinary approaches in future research and policy design, including the development of context-sensitive cognitive tools, longitudinal cohort studies, and equity-driven public interventions. Such efforts are essential to address the neurodevelopmental inequities that underlie broader social disparities.
Keywords	executive function, poverty, stress, neurodevelopment, cognitive neuroscience, social inequality
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 3, May-June 2025
Published On	2025-06-28
DOI	https://doi.org/10.36948/ijfmr.2025.v07i03.49163
Short DOI	https://doi.org/g9rsk3

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The Neuropsychology of Poverty: A Literature Review on the Impact of Socioeconomic Stress on Executive Brain Function

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