Brain functional connectivity differs when viewing pictures from natural and built environments using fMRI resting...

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Environmental Psychology
• Cognitive Science

Background:

• Humans evolved in natural settings, and exposure to nature is linked to reduced stress and improved cognition.
• Previous research suggests benefits of natural environments, but neural mechanisms remain less understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate differences in functional connectivity using fMRI when participants viewed images of natural versus built environments.
• To explore correlations between neural activity, environmental exposure, and individual upbringing.

Main Methods:

• Participants underwent fMRI scans while viewing photographs of natural and built environments, matched for scenicness.
• Self-reported measures of stress, rumination, valence, arousal, and dominance were collected.
• Functional connectivity analyses focused on specific neural networks, including the dorsal attention network (DAN), ventral attention network (VAN), default mode network (DMN), and somatomotor connections.

Main Results:

• No significant differences were found in self-reported psychological measures between the two conditions.
• Significantly higher functional connectivity was observed in natural environment conditions within circuits involving DAN, VAN, DMN, and somatomotor networks.
• Lower functional connectivity during nature viewing correlated with a greater number of years spent in urban environments during upbringing.

Conclusions:

• Viewing natural environments modulates functional brain connectivity, particularly in attention and self-referential networks, independent of subjective emotional state.
• Early-life urban exposure may influence neural responses to natural environments.
• Further research is needed to link these connectivity changes to cognitive function improvements from nature exposure.