Exploring urban mental health using mobile EEG - a systematic review.

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Environmental Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Urbanization is linked to increased mental health issues.
• Mobile electroencephalography (mEEG) offers insights into brain responses to urban environments.
• Understanding the urban living and mental health connection is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review existing research on mobile electroencephalography in urban mental health.
• To synthesize findings on brain activity (alpha, beta, theta frequencies) in urban settings.
• To identify research gaps and methodological limitations.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across major databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, CINAHL) in September 2023.
• Inclusion of primary studies using in-situ electroencephalography in urban environments since 2013.
• Data extraction and risk of bias assessment by independent reviewers, pre-registered with PROSPERO.

Main Results:

• Fifteen studies were included, showing heterogeneous findings on brain activity in urban versus less urbanized areas.
• Some studies reported increased brain activity in cities, while others found reductions, particularly compared to greener regions.
• Significant underrepresentation of certain demographics (e.g., adolescents) and inconsistent reporting of exposures were noted.

Conclusions:

• The field of mobile electroencephalography for urban mental health is emerging but faces challenges like small sample sizes and methodological inconsistency.
• Contradictory findings highlight the need for more rigorous studies documenting urban exposures and specific brain activity measures.
• Future research should focus on transparency, consistency, and inclusive demographic representation to clarify the urban living-mental health relationship.