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

Kühn, Simone ; Mascherek, Anna ; Filevich, Elisa ; Lisofsky, Nina ; Becker, Maxi ; Butler, Oisin ; Lochstet, Martyna ; Mårtensson, Johan LU ; Wenger, Elisabeth and Lindenberger, Ulman , et al. (2022) In World Journal of Biological Psychiatry 23(3). p.201-207
Abstract

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... (More)

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.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
affect, day-to-day fluctuations, dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, Structural MRI, time spent outdoors
in
World Journal of Biological Psychiatry
volume
23
issue
3
pages
201 - 207
publisher
Taylor & Francis
external identifiers
  • pmid:34231438
  • scopus:85110022993
ISSN
1562-2975
DOI
10.1080/15622975.2021.1938670
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
7a468c65-937d-46b5-a6aa-be19fefb0670
date added to LUP
2022-01-31 18:12:20
date last changed
2025-01-26 23:48:11
@article{7a468c65-937d-46b5-a6aa-be19fefb0670,
  abstract     = {{<p>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.</p>}},
  author       = {{Kühn, Simone and Mascherek, Anna and Filevich, Elisa and Lisofsky, Nina and Becker, Maxi and Butler, Oisin and Lochstet, Martyna and Mårtensson, Johan and Wenger, Elisabeth and Lindenberger, Ulman and Gallinat, Jürgen}},
  issn         = {{1562-2975}},
  keywords     = {{affect; day-to-day fluctuations; dorsolateral prefrontal cortex; Structural MRI; time spent outdoors}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{201--207}},
  publisher    = {{Taylor & Francis}},
  series       = {{World Journal of Biological Psychiatry}},
  title        = {{Spend time outdoors for your brain–an in-depth longitudinal MRI study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15622975.2021.1938670}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/15622975.2021.1938670}},
  volume       = {{23}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}