How nature nurtures: Amygdala activity decreases as the result of a one-hour walk in nature.
Level 2 - randomized trial
Controlled intervention trial comparing pre- and post-exposure brain activation between two environments
PubMed 36059042 · doi:10.1038/s41380-022-01720-6
What was done
An intervention study in 63 healthy participants examined changes in stress-related brain regions following a one-hour walk in a natural environment (forest) versus an urban environment (busy street). Functional brain activation was measured before and after the walk during a fearful faces task and a social stress task.
What was found
No numerical values or effect sizes are reported in the abstract. Directionally, amygdala activation decreased after the one-hour walk in nature, while it remained stable after the walk in the urban environment.
Why it matters
This study provides experimental evidence that acute exposure to natural environments reduces neural activity in stress-processing brain regions. It offers mechanistic support for integrating green spaces into urban planning for preventive mental health benefits.
Limits
The sample size was small (n = 63) and limited to healthy participants, precluding direct generalizability to clinical populations with mood or anxiety disorders. The abstract does not specify whether environmental assignment was randomized, nor does it report the duration of the effect or behavioral and subjective stress measures.
Cited by
- partial Walking in nature compared to walking in an urban metropolitan area produces a significantly greater reduction in clinical symptoms of depression and anxiety.