Study: Do trees improve perception?

reference

Jimenez MP, Elliott eG, Deville NV, et al. Residential areas and cognitive function in a large cohort of middle -aged women. Jama Netw Open . 2022; 5 (4): E229306. DOI: 10.1001/Jamanetworkkopen.2022.9306

study goal

It should be examined whether exposure to green areas in residential areas is associated with the cognitive function in middle -aged women

Key to take away

The stay in an area with more green areas was associated with a better cognitive function in middle -aged nurses and should be further examined as a potential approach at the population level to improve cognitive function.

design

prospective, observing cohort study

participant

The cohort used in this study is part of the ongoing Nurses' Health Study II (NHS II). ^{1 From 1989 the NHS II recruited female nurses aged 25 to 42 at the time of enrollment (n = 116.429).}

Between 2014 and 2016, the researchers invited 40,082 NHS II participants to participate in the current study, 14.151 of which completed the self-carried out cognitive examination (Cogstate letter Battery).

The total sample was 13,594 (average age 61.2 years) at the time of the analysis (2021).

All study participants lived in the United States and the researchers adapted to the socio -economic status; 98 % of the participants were white.

study parameters

The Cogstate letter Battery is a self -performing test that includes four tasks and is supposed to serve as a sensitive indicator of early cognitive deficits. With the help of this validated test, the researchers calculated three compound values:

• a psychomotor speed/attention value
• a learning/working memory score
• an overall cognitive assessment

In addition, data from the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, which rated green areas using satellite images, were used to determine the living green areas of each participant.

primary result

In the study, the results of the participants at the Cogstate letter Battery, a computer -aided tool for cognitive evaluation with which the cognition can be measured.

most important knowledge

This study found that an enlargement of the green areas is associated with higher values ​​for the overall cognition and psychomotor speed/attention. However, there was no difference in learning or working memory.

An increase in green space exposure within a buffer zone of 270 m (886 feet) by an interquartile area (IQR) was associated with higher values ​​for the combination of psychomotor speed and attention (β, 0.04; 95 %-KI, 0.02 to 0.07) overall cognition (β, 0.04; 95 %-KI, 0.01 to 0.06). The adaptation to the individual socio-economic status in childhood and adulthood did not significantly change the results. These associations were still positive when the buffer zone was changed to 1,230 m ( ^{3 / of a mile) (β, 0.04; 95 %-KI, 0.02 to 0.07) and (β, 0.04; 95 %-KI, 0.02 to 0.06).}

The connection between exposure in green areas and the learning/work memory composition was positive, but not statistically significant if the buffer zones of 230 m or 1,230 m are used (β, 0.03; 95 %-KI, –0.00 to 0.05) and (β, 0.02; 95 % Ki, –0.01 to 0.04).

transparency

The study was made by grants from the National Institutes of Health to Dr. Jimenez, Dr. Weuve and Dr. James financed. Dr. Weuve reported that they received personal fees from Alzheimer's Association and personal fees from the Health Effects Institute outside of this work.

effects and restrictions for practice

The contact of humans with nature as a green space and the associated effects have become increasingly interesting for researchers. Perhaps the consideration is that nature is the basis for human experience and is therefore to be expected that it influences the human body in a variety of ways, at a time when 55 % of the world's population lives in urban areas, and until 2050 68 % of the world's population will probably live in urban areas. With neurological health, since access to and contact with nature and wild areas for a growing world population that lives in urban areas may be less accessible.

In the past few decades, a growing number of data has emerged that demonstrates numerous positive neurological relationships with exposure to green areas, including the effects on the cognitive skills of children. ^{3,4 Recreation time after surgical events, 5 dementia, 6 Health, 7 and more. When working with patients who have problems with perception, mental health, etc., doctors can rightly think about asking patients about access to nature and the time spent there and encouraging them depending on the answer.}

It should be noted that the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), although it is valuable as a research instrument for information about green spaces within the study parameters, brings its own challenges. Researchers recently reported that it may not be able to fully characterize the human experience, trees and plants, since scenes with the same normalized difference in the vegetation index for the human eye can appear different. ” ^{8 Although it is a powerful instrument, the NDVI cannot do the entire reality of the experience of the study with nature than Recognize the green space and her contact with her. 9 For example, city dwellers could deliberately look for ways for green spaces, which would falsify the results.}

follow -up studies should examine the effects of actual behaviors and the time spent in nature. In addition, this study is intended to provide information to inform urban planners who are able to influence the amount of green spaces in cities and districts with increasing population in these areas.

Finally, this study is limited by the limited patient population, since essentially only white nurses are examined. This study may also be relevant for individual practitioners, since it was not intended to determine whether the habitual stay in the countryside improves perception. It only shows the effect of a closer stay on green areas, on which individual practitioners have little influence.