By Helen Rowe, Trainer on ‘The Biology of Poverty’ and Author of ‘Eliminating Poverty in Britain’ (2023)
Science is amazing. It’s particularly amazing when we can combine it with social policies, which go on to transform the lives of the people that the researchers are seeking to help.
Two fields of research have transformed the scientific landscape since I was studying my biology degree in the early noughties: the neuroscience of poverty (how deprivation affects the brain) and epigenetics (how our environment affects our DNA).
Back then, university lecturers confidently taught that evolution was caused by random changes in our body’s code: our DNA. It was believed that if an unexpected change (mutation) was helpful to an animal or plant – such as improving camouflage – then it would be more likely to survive and pass the new gene on to its children. For harmful changes, the organism was less likely to breed and so the gene died out with it.
However, since then, new epigenetic research has completely transformed this view and has shown how the environment in which we live can directly change the way our genes work. Epigenetics is the system that turns genes on and off. This process works by attaching chemical tags, known as epigenetic markers, to the DNA. These tell the cell either to use or ignore a particular gene. The underlying DNA code is not changed, but the manner in which the genes are turned on or off is affected. In bees, the queen, workers and drones all have very different bodies and yet they have identical DNA, showing that when genes are expressed (turned on or off) differently, they can create a different animal.
Poverty is a deeply stressful situation and the body has two main reactions to stress – the trauma response and inflammation.
Deprivation increases the risk of a range of mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is an example of epigenetics, where the gene for the stress hormone, cortisol is wrongly left in the ‘on’ position, causing the body to be in a perpetual state of fight-or-flight. Stress levels in the body are significantly higher than they would normally be, causing a variety of health problems for the sufferer. Researchers have found that some of these changes can be passed down from generation to generation.
For people living in poverty for a long time, inflammation degrades the human body, in particular the arteries, veins and blood vessels. This increases the risk of developing major health conditions, including heart disease, stroke and miscarriage.
So, how do humans cope when poverty is driving abnormal changes to their physical and mental health? Addiction is one response. Addiction to anything which will ease the pressure. It may be through social media, smart phones, comfort eating, smoking, alcohol, drugs, shopping or anything which numbs the pain and stress of the situation. For those suffering PTSD, this can manifest through dissociation – a separation between the mind and the body.
When dissociating, the brain protects the individual from the stress of their surroundings by removing them to a safe space within their imagination. This provides temporary relief, but the return to reality can generate further pain for the individual as they are effectively living two lives. Dissociation can lead to forgetfulness and poor emotional control, preventing children from learning and adults from working to their full potential, further increasing the risk of poverty.
There is so much more for science to discover about these complex interactions and we must use them to develop better policies. Treatments exist for health conditions caused by poverty, but without dealing with the underlying issue, we will only ever be scratching the surface. Poverty does not just affect our society from an economic perspective, it impacts our NHS and education system too. Eliminating poverty in Britain remains a topic poised on the side-lines awaiting its day, and when we do finally try, scientists will have reems of research to show the benefits.
Helen will be giving an online talk on How Poverty Affects The Body on Sunday 9 February 2025 with SeedTalks. Click here to book tickets.
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This article is featured in our 5 February newsletter.
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