A renowned brain scientist at UH has measured the impact of nature on the brain, using mobile EEG (or brain caps) and found that as cities grow, integrating nature is key to supporting emotional well-being and long-term brain health. Photo taken by Diego Gabriel Hern谩ndez Sol铆s at the Japanese Garden at Hermann Park in Houston.
You probably heard it from your mom a thousand times 鈥� fresh air and sunshine; it鈥檚 the cure for most anything. Now scientists at the 91视频 concur, measuring the impact of mother鈥檚 advice on mother nature to find that exposure to nature is associated with reductions in negative emotions.
Given that nearly 90% of the U.S. population is projected to reside in urban areas by 2050, researchers say integrating nature into urban design and public health initiatives is an increasingly recognized national public health and economic priority for improving emotional wellbeing.
鈥淔indings from this systematic review support the notion that nature exposure is a critical determinant of brain health and therefore brain capital. Thus, promoting and maintaining healthy environments is critical to promote and grow the world鈥檚 brain capital,鈥� said renowned brain scientist Jose Luis Contreras-Vidal, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Distinguished Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering and director, (Building Reliable Advances and Innovation in Neurotechnology). He led a team of researchers through a systematic review and meta-analysis of the impact of nature on wellness.
The team examined the results from 2,101 participants in 33 studies combining neuroimaging and psychological assessments during exposure to real, virtual or imagined natural environments. EEG was the most widely used neuroimaging modality across the studies reviewed.
鈥淗ealthy populations showed a more balanced psychological response, with nature exposure being associated with both increases in positive emotions and reductions in negative emotions,鈥� Contreras-Vidal in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 鈥淕rowing interest in how nature influences the brain has driven research toward understanding its neurophysiological impact. This interest has recognized that genetics alone cannot account for health risk factors and that environmental exposures play a substantial role in shaping brain health.鈥�
The team examined brain studies that included several different tasks:
- Imagery: The most popular task across studies, images of nature consistently demonstrated significant effects of nature on well-being. Eight studies reported increases in positive emotions while seven observed decreases in negative emotions.
- Virtual Reality: Eight studies implemented VR-based exposure to nature, all of which used EEG as their neuroimaging modality. Six studies reported decreases in negative emotions and five reported increases in positive emotions.
- Walking Outdoors: Five studies reported an increase in positive emotions and four reported decreases in negative emotions.
While studies employing psychological and neuroimaging can potentially provide a shift in understanding of the neurophysiological impact of nature on brain health and wellness, there is still much to know, and Contreras-Vidal has suggestions.
鈥淓EG studies should expand their scope to incorporate neural metrics like functional connectivity, while prioritizing standardization of real-world multimodal data for study comparisons and effective inclusion of AI,鈥� he said.
鈥淯ltimately, the goal is to design Nature prescriptions (Nature Rx) to promote brain health and treat mental illnesses across the lifespan,鈥� said Contreras-Vidal.
Based on the findings, the BRAIN Center is working on a study on the neural mechanisms underlying nature鈥檚 impact on brain health and wellness in Houston鈥檚 Third Ward neighborhood along the green corridor and on the UH campus鈥� pollinator gardens.