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Park SA, Lee AY, Park HG, Lee WL. Benefits of Gardening on Cognitive Function as Measured in Cranial Nerve Growth Factor Levels.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2019;16(5):760.
Study objective
To determine the effects of gardening on measures of healthy neurological function.
Draft
Pre-post intervention study
Participant
Forty-one seniors (mean age 76.6 ± 6.0 years) live in Seoul, South Korea
intervention
Participants engaged in light to moderate gardening tasks for 20 minutes, including cleaning the property, digging, fertilizing, raking, planting and watering.
Target parameters
Blood samples were collected before and after gardening to provide the following biomarker data:
- Aus dem Gehirn stammender neurotropher Faktor (BDNF), die das Wachstum von Neuronen und die Bildung neuer synaptischer Verbindungen fördern, die oft mit einem gesunden Gedächtnis und einer gesunden kognitiven Funktion verbunden sind
- Vaskulärer endothelialer Wachstumsfaktor (VEGF), das das Wachstum neuer Blutgefäße fördert und oft mit einer verbesserten kognitiven Funktion verbunden ist
- Von Blutplättchen abgeleiteter Wachstumsfaktor (PDGF), das das Wachstum mehrerer Zelltypen fördert, einschließlich Gliazellen und Blutgefäße, die oft mit verschiedenen Gesundheitszuständen verbunden sind
Key insights
After 20 minutes of gardening, BNDF increased by 8.4% and PDGF increased by 13.5% (P≤0.05 andP≤0.001). Changes in VEGF were not statistically significant. No significant outcome differences were measured between male and female participants.
Practice implications
It has been said that a garden is both a place and a process of healing.1The garden's activities and environment provide opportunities for physical exercise, but also intellectual reflection, social and environmental connection, and building self-confidence and a sense of achievement. Witnessing the transformation of plant and mineral substances over time, even after just 20 minutes of labor, is a therapeutic event as old as our species. We respond to gardens because they are part of our history, our mythology and our culture. The mere presence of on-site gardens in a nursing home increased residents' overall perceived health, suggesting that the garden's natural aesthetic features activated inherent biophilic mechanisms that impact subjective experience.2.3
This is the first known study to directly examine biomarkers of neurological function as a mechanism of action to improve mental health.
Gardening has been recommended for mental health for centuries. Dr. Benjamin Rush, one of the signers of the United States Declaration of Independence, found that "digging in the garden" brought significant benefits to patients during his tenure as head of America's first psychiatric facility.4The professions of horticultural therapy (HT) and medicinal horticulture (TH) have been committed to the healing effects of gardening for many decades,5something every gardener inherently knows.
A recent meta-analysis of the benefits of gardening confirmed these positive effects in multiple domains, including mental (depression, positive affect, self-esteem), physical (weight loss), and psychosocial (sense of community, purpose, life satisfaction).6It is no surprise that this current study would show an increase in biomarkers related to creating healthy brain structure and function.
Mental health/stress
This is the first known study to directly examine biomarkers of neurological function as a mechanism of action to improve mental health. Other studies have shown the positive effects that gardening has on clinical aspects of mental health, such as: B. reducing depression and psychological effects of stress.7.8And some studies have shown that gardening is a useful stress-management activity, helping to restore both mood and salivary cortisol levels to baseline levels after exposure to a stressor.9Recent studies have even shown that gardening has positive effects on mental illness, with horticultural therapy programs being used successfully in inpatient psychiatric facilities in the United States and the United Kingdom.10,11
More directly related to the current study, there is evidence that gardening is beneficial in older patients to reduce dementia-associated memory deficits as well as behavioral problems.4Given the specific results of this study, it's no big surprise that gardening would increase BDNF. Physical activity has long been known to promote BDNF production and associated memory and cognitive functions.12
Physical activity
This study adds to the large body of research demonstrating the importance of regular physical activity for all aspects of health, including mental health.13Physical activity is known to increase blood and lymph flow, regulate inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, and stimulate the production of neurotransmitters and the beneficial neurotrophic growth factors measured here, such as BDNF and PDGF.
The activities in this study were chosen because they are regular, simple activities that are often recommended for older adults as part of a daily routine to maintain health. These activities are classified as low to moderate physical activity (LMPA), according to their designation, between 2.8 and 4.5 on the metabolic equivalent scale (METs).14Other studies have examined the effect of LMPA gardening activities on physiological measures such as heart rate, oxygen saturation and calorie consumption, all with positive results.fifteen
Gardens and programs
The evidence supporting HT/TH is growing (pun intended) and with it the willingness to use these methods for therapeutic benefit. A 2015 survey found over 110 therapeutic horticultural gardens located on, near, or associated with U.S. hospitals or other healthcare facilities.16Military organizations around the world are even beginning to use therapeutic gardening programs for combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), such as the Gardening Leave program in Scotland and the Veterans Greenhouse and Gardens Program (Boston).17.18
restrictions
The lack of a control group significantly limits the empirical utility of this study. Future studies may wish to use a sedentary waitlist control group to experimentally demonstrate cause-and-effect relationships between gardening and neurotrophic growth factors. Similarly, comparing gardening to other activities of similar METs could help identify any benefits unique to gardening compared to other types of LMPA.
The measurement of neurotrophic growth factors in this study does not demonstrate the clinical health benefits of gardening. Future studies seeking to demonstrate the influence of gardening on cognitive function could include psychometric scales assessing memory and mood (e.g., Wechsler Memory Scale, Beck Depression Inventory).
This was a small pilot study with a limited number of participants. A larger, better powered study would have greater statistical validity and may be able to detect the significance of other outcome measures (e.g., VEGF).
Conclusion
Gardening is an ancient activity with several holistic benefits. This simple activity can be performed by almost any patient and is likely to be helpful for almost any medical condition, without the risk of side effects. Research is just beginning to confirm the many ways that “digging in the garden” is beneficial to our overall health and well-being, including the fact that the physical activity of gardening can have such impressive and lasting mental effects.
As the saying goes, “Gardening is cheaper than therapy, plus you get tomatoes.” Researchers, clinicians, policymakers, and health care administrators may wish to explore horticultural therapy and therapeutic horticulture programs to reduce disease burdens and improve physical and mental health in their stakeholders.