Breaking the Wall of Inequality in the Brain

Breaking the Wall of Inequality in the Brain

Global Call 2026 Finalist Interview: Social Sciences & Humanities

Divyangana Rakesh’s research investigates how environmental adversity and inequality become biologically embedded in the developing brain, shaping long-term cognitive function and mental health. Drawing on large-scale datasets, her work spans individual, neighbourhood, and societal levels of analysis — from households to macroeconomic inequality — to understand how these conditions alter child brain and behaviour development, and identify factors that promote resilience in these contexts.

Which wall does your research or project break?  

For decades, we have understood economic inequality primarily as a social, political, or economic problem. My research breaks the wall separating these disciplines from neuroscience by showing that inequality is also a biological phenomenon. It demonstrates that the economic systems surrounding children are reflected in how their brains develop, even after accounting for their own family's socioeconomic circumstances.

Traditionally, research on child development has focused on individual risk factors such as poverty, parenting, or education. These are highly important, but they do not capture the broader environments in which children grow up. My work asks a different question: can living in a more unequal society shape the developing brain? By combining large-scale neuroimaging with measures of macroeconomic inequality, I found that inequality at the state level is associated with differences in brain structure and function linked to mental health.

This shifts the conversation from individual disadvantage to the wider systems that influence development. It suggests that children's brains are shaped not only by the resources available within their families, but also by the societies they inhabit.

What is the main goal of your research or project?  

My research aims to understand how environmental adversity and inequality become biologically embedded in the developing brain, shaping children's cognitive development and mental health. I study these influences across multiple levels—from family and neighbourhood environments to broader societal and economic conditions—to understand how the environments we create affect developmental trajectories.

A recent focus of my work has been on structural inequality. In my recent study, I showed that macroeconomic inequality—not just a child's own socioeconomic circumstances—is associated with differences in brain development linked to mental health. This shifts our understanding of neurodevelopment by showing that the broader economic systems in which children grow up matter for how their brains develop.

More broadly, my goal is to build a scientific framework that connects neuroscience with economics, public health, and social policy. I also seek to understand why some children remain resilient despite adversity, identifying the factors that support healthy development. Ultimately, I hope this research will help move us beyond treating the consequences of disadvantage towards creating environments and policies that enable all children to thrive.

What impact does your research or project have on society?

Economic inequality is often discussed in terms of income or opportunity. My research shows that it also has measurable consequences for children's brain development and mental health. This changes the conversation by demonstrating that inequality is not simply an economic issue, but also a public health issue with biological consequences. Breaking this wall creates new opportunities for both science and policy. It encourages neuroscientists to consider structural economic conditions as fundamental influences on brain development, while providing economists and policymakers with biological evidence of the long-term consequences of inequality.

What advice would you give to young scientists or students interested in pursuing a career in research, or to your younger self starting in science?

One of the most valuable lessons I have learned is to ask questions that genuinely matter to you, even if they do not fit neatly within the boundaries of a single discipline. Many of the most important scientific problems are too complex to be solved from one perspective alone. My own work sits at the intersection of neuroscience, psychology, economics, and public policy because that is where I found the questions that excited me most.

It is also important to remember that research is rarely a straight path. Experiments fail, papers are rejected, grants are unsuccessful, and ideas often need years to develop before they have an impact. I even had a career outside academia before doing my degree in neuroscience. I would suggest that you take it one step at a time and use treat every setback as a learning opportunity.

I would also encourage young researchers to value collaboration. Science advances through diverse expertise and different ways of thinking. Some of the most rewarding parts of my career have come from working with people whose skills and perspectives are very different from my own.

Finally, never underestimate the importance of communicating your work. Discoveries only make a difference if people can understand why they matter. Whether speaking to other scientists, policymakers, or the public, clear communication is an essential part of research. The goal is not only to produce new knowledge but also to ensure that knowledge has the opportunity to improve lives.