Poor suffer ‘cognitive deficit’

Finding it hard to make ends meet can impoverish the brain and reduce your ability to think, say scientists.

Financial worries tax the brain so much they create a “cognitive deficit” equivalent to a 13-point loss in IQ, a study found.

The problem is distinct from the effects of stress and results from too much “mental bandwidth” being used to fret about money.

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Someone overwhelmed with worries about rent, feeding and clothing children, and paying household bills can suffer a genuine mental handicap, the research shows. This in turn may lead to poor decisions, such as racking up debt, creating a vicious cycle.