Spend time outdoors for your brain–an in-depth longitudinal MRI study

Kühn, SimoneUniversity Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf,Max Planck Institute for Human Development (author)

Objectives: The effects of nature on physical and mental health are an emerging topic in empirical research with increasing influence on practical health recommendations. Here we set out to investigate the association between spending time outdoors and brain structural plasticity in conjunctions with self-reported affect. Methods: We established the Day2day study, which includes an unprecedented in-depth assessment of variability of brain structure in a serial sequence of 40–50 structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisitions of each of six young healthy participants for 6–8 months (n = 281 MRI scans in total). Results: A whole-brain analysis revealed that time spent outdoors was positively associated with grey matter volume in the right dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and positive affect, also after controlling for physical activity, fluid intake, free time, and hours of sunshine. Conclusions: Results indicate remarkable and potentially behaviorally relevant plasticity of cerebral structure within a short time frame driven by the daily time spent outdoors. This is compatible with anecdotal evidence of the health and mood-promoting effects of going for a walk. The study may provide the first evidence for underlying cerebral mechanisms of so-called green prescriptions with possible consequences for future interventions in mental disorders.

Mascherek, AnnaUniversity Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (author)
Filevich, ElisaHumboldt University of Berlin,Max Planck Institute for Human Development (author)
Lisofsky, NinaMax Planck Institute for Human Development,University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (author)
Becker, MaxiUniversity Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (author)
Butler, OisinMax Planck Institute for Human Development (author)
Lochstet, Martyna (author)
Mårtensson, JohanLund University,Lunds universitet,Logopedi, foniatri och audiologi,Sektion IV,Institutionen för kliniska vetenskaper, Lund,Medicinska fakulteten,Logopedics, Phoniatrics and Audiology,Section IV,Department of Clinical Sciences, Lund,Faculty of Medicine(Swepub:lu)psyc-jme (author)
Wenger, ElisabethMax Planck Institute for Human Development (author)
Lindenberger, UlmanMax Planck Institute for Human Development (author)
Gallinat, JürgenUniversity Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (author)
University Medical Center Hamburg-EppendorfMax Planck Institute for Human Development (creator_code:org_t)

In:World Journal of Biological Psychiatry: Informa UK Limited23:3, s. 201-2071562-29751814-1412

By the author/editor: Kühn, Simone; Mascherek, Anna; Filevich, Elisa; Lisofsky, Nina; Becker, Maxi; Butler, Oisin; show more...; Lochstet, Martyn ...; Mårtensson, Joha ...; Wenger, Elisabet ...; Lindenberger, Ul ...; Gallinat, Jürgen; show less...

About the subject

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Basic Medicine; and Neurosciences

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Neurology

MEDICAL AND HEALTH SCIENCES: MEDICAL AND HEAL ...; and Clinical Medicin ...; and Radiology Nuclea ...

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