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Recommendations for the responsible use and communication of race and ethnicity in neuroimaging research

Nature Neuroscience volume 27, pages 615–628 (2024)Cite this article

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Abstract

The growing availability of large-population human biomedical datasets provides researchers with unique opportunities to conduct rigorous and impactful studies on brain and behavioral development, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of neurodevelopment in diverse populations. However, the patterns observed in these datasets are more likely to be influenced by upstream structural inequities (that is, structural racism), which can lead to health disparities based on race, ethnicity and social class. This paper addresses the need for guidance and self-reflection in biomedical research on conceptualizing, contextualizing and communicating issues related to race and ethnicity. We provide recommendations as a starting point for researchers to rethink race and ethnicity choices in study design, model specification, statistical analysis and communication of results, implement practices to avoid the further stigmatization of historically minoritized groups, and engage in research practices that counteract existing harmful biases.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the large number of people who provided feedback, comments and critiques over the development of this paper. In particular, we thank the members of the ABCD Study JEDI Working Groups, who provided many of the initial discussions that led to the development of this paper. We particularly acknowledge the following people for providing numerous comments on drafts of this manuscript: M. Herting, K. Bagot, L. Uddin, S. Bodison, R. Huber, D. Lopez, E. Hoffman, S. Adise, A. Potter and K. Uban. C.C.-I. acknowledges fellow NSP (R25NS089462), BRAINS (R25NS094094) and Diversifying CNS (R25NS117356) scholars, who have provided invaluable support and inspiration for addressing structural barriers in neuroscience for BIPOC scholars, as well as T32ES013678, R25DA059073, and R25MH125545. C.C.-I. is supported by National Institute of Environmental Health Science grants T32ES013678, R01ES031074 and P30ES007048, and National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities grant P50MD015705. M.R.G. is supported by National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism grant K01AA030325 and National Institute on Drug Abuse grants R61DA058976, R25DA050724, and R25DA050687.

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  1. Department of Population and Public Health Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez

  2. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA

    Marybel Robledo Gonzalez

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C.C.-I. wrote the first draft of the manuscript. M.R.G. wrote sections of the manuscript. All authors contributed to the revision of the paper and approved the submitted version.

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Correspondence to Carlos Cardenas-Iniguez.

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Cardenas-Iniguez, C., Gonzalez, M.R. Recommendations for the responsible use and communication of race and ethnicity in neuroimaging research. Nat Neurosci 27, 615–628 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41593-024-01608-4

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