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The First Five Years

Brain size may vary

By Doug Lent
Published May 4, 2022 at 8:00 AM EDT
White matter refers to areas of the central nervous system that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called tracts.Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain functions, modulating the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay and coordinating communication between different brain regions
PALMIHELP/Getty Images/iStockphoto
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iStockphoto
White matter refers to areas of the central nervous system that are mainly made up of myelinated axons, also called tracts.Long thought to be passive tissue, white matter affects learning and brain functions, modulating the distribution of action potentials, acting as a relay and coordinating communication between different brain regions

A new study from Harvard University provides further evidence of the immediate physiological effects on children of living in poverty. It also shows us some the potentially dangerous long-term effects.

The First Five Years
Doug Lent
See stories by Doug Lent