Our own status affects the way our brains respond to others

[http://wwwapps.nimh.nih.gov/science-news/2004/depression-traced-to-overactive-brain-circuit.shtml]

From the 28 April 2011 Eureka News Alert

Our own social status influences the way our brains respond to others of higher or lower rank, according to a new study reported online on April 28 in Current Biology, a Cell Press publication.

[A copy of the abstract of this article may be found here, for suggestions on how to get this article for free or at low cost, click here ]

These differences register in a key component of the brain’s value system, a region known as the ventral striatum.

People of higher subjective socioeconomic status show greater brain activity in response to other high-ranked individuals, while those with lower status have a greater response to other low-status individuals…

… socioeconomic status isn’t based solely on money but can also include factors such as accomplishments and habits. Socioeconomic status is also just one hierarchical system among many that humans belong to and that can influence our everyday interactions.

And of course, our socioeconomic status isn’t fixed; it shifts over time, for better or for worse. Exactly how the brain will respond to such changes is an intriguing question for future study.

“As humans, we have the capacity to assess our surroundings and context to determine appropriate feelings and behavior,” Zink said. “We, and our brain’s activity, are not static and can adjust depending on the circumstances. As one’s status changes, I would expect that the value we place on status-related information from others and corresponding brain activity in the ventral striatum would also change.”