Urban Cities vs. Green Spaces

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http://neurosciencenews.com/green-spaces-neurobiology-6376/
            Recent studies have found that walking between busy cities and green, urban environments can have a great payoff in the brains of older people, changing the levels of enthusiasm, engagement and aggravation in the brain. The study used EEG head-sets on elderly volunteers to try to comprehend how older people experience urban settings. The head-set documented brain activity of the volunteers when they walked from a busy urban place to an urban green space. The volunteers were asked in interviews to recount what they felt during this time; most revealing that they found the green spaces to be comforting. The study found that green spaces truly make a difference in bettering older people’s mental health, reducing built up stress, especially environmental-related stress. The study illustrates the importance of positive environments on memories and social connections.

            I wish that this article would have discussed more on the gray matter in the brain being influenced by green spaces in this study. The title mentions it, but the article never discusses what role gray matter directly played in the study. Gray matter, a component of the central nervous system (CNS), helps manage information in the brain. How would gray matter be an influence in taking in the perception of green spaces? Specifically, what does gray matter do to alter excitement and frustration? Gray matter tends to decrease with age, so is it possible that this study is onto something bigger in helping the elderly live happier lives?

Comments

  1. Eddie HanleyMay 1, 2017 at 8:28 PM

    I have always been interested in memory in forms of environment. In high school I was taught in Psych 101 that "semantic encoding", a notion that professors and peers alike recognize but a term that often have not, is the idea the learning occurs best when in a personal context, even so that non-contextual information is not even absorbed. I have noticed this is my own life where I remember very specific incidents, down to individual words and images, due to how i connected them in my mind to something more personal. I think the "ah-ha" moment that occurs when one remembers something deeply due to the critical thinking surrounding it. The more research that is conducted on this the more I believe we can better the education system and understand how individual's best learn, even if the best learning is varied among persons.

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  2. Laura BrownholtzMay 1, 2017 at 9:24 PM

    I really enjoyed reading this article as well as your thoughts on this topic. My friends and are avid hikers so this immediately caught my attention. It is fascinating that the area a person walks can have such an impact on their mental health but I can say for experience that a good hike definitely clears my mind and is the best way to relax.

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  3. Becca CossaboomMay 1, 2017 at 11:49 PM

    I see what you are saying about the role grey matter plays in managing how the elderly, and people in general, perceive and take note of specific surroundings. I would definitely be interested in a follow up article that further explains grey matters role too. Overall, though I can even relate, even as a young adult, in that my mood and memory of an area is definitely dependent on how my senses respond to the area around me. For example in cities, I tend to feel more overwhelmed and stressed where as parks and the countryside relax me. I am sure much of that has to do with my senses and what they are picking up in my surroundings.

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  4. Larry StarksMay 2, 2017 at 12:18 AM

    This was a good read. I can relate to how a change of scenery can reduce stress. Moving around can work wonders in keeping the brain active and I believe being around nature can surely help boost the mood. I would recommend that people would take walks through green areas, especially those who don't get to see it very often, as a part of some emotional healing.

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