Green space exposure may promote the development of key brain regions that support emotional regulation, behavioral control, and cognitive functionsChildhood and adolescence are pivotal stages of development marked by rapid brain growth and high neuroplasticity. Research suggests that exposure to urban green space supports children’s mental health and cognitive functioning. However, the neurobiological pathways behind these benefits remain unclear, particularly in children, who are highly sensitive to environmental influences. This large-scale study examined whether green space exposure (GSE) is associated with children’s neurodevelopment by focusing on two indicators: brain structure, which is closely tied to cognition and mental health, and white matter microstructure, which supports cognitive and emotional regulation. The researchers hypothesized that: (1) greater GSE would be associated with healthier brain structure and white matter microstructure, especially in regions involved in emotion regulation and cognitive processing; and (2) these neurodevelopmental benefits would be linked to better mental health and cognitive performance.
The study utilized data from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) study, which is examining the brain development and health of 11,880 children (age 9–10) in 21 locations across the U.S. Two data subsets from the ABCD study were analyzed by this study. The data focused on GSE, mental health symptoms, cognition, brain structure and white matter microstructure. GSE was quantified using nine green space-related indicators (e.g., NDVI, tree canopy, forest cover) obtained from the National Land Cover Database and Land-Use Measures within the ABCD database. Children’s mental health symptoms were assessed using the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) to detect internalizing and externalizing behaviors (emotional and behavioral problems), as reported by parents. Cognition was assessed using fluid and crystallized intelligence scores from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Toolbox. Fluid intelligence was assessed with five tasks to evaluate problem-solving and working memory. Crystallized intelligence (accumulated knowledge) was measured using two tasks to evaluate vocabulary and reading skills. Brain structure and white matter microstructure were assessed using MRI. Valid brain structure data were obtained from 8430 children, and valid white matter microstructure data from 8161 children. Statistical analysis was conducted to examine the relationships among GSE, brain metrics, mental health symptoms, and cognition. Additional analyses were conducted to incorporate neighborhood-level socioeconomic indicators from the ABCD dataset, including the Area Deprivation Index (a measure of neighborhood socioeconomic disadvantage) and the Child Opportunity Index (a measure of neighborhood resources).
Results indicate that “GSE played a complex and significant role in children’s brain development, mental health, and cognitive function.” Higher GSE, but not exposure to evergreen forests, was linked to increased cortical thickness and surface area, as well as cortical and subcortical structural volumes, particularly in brain regions associated with visual processing and sensorimotor integration. This finding suggests that most types of GSE may promote the development of key brain regions in children. Further, lower GSE was linked to reduced structural development in brain regions responsible for sensory and motor functions, multisensory integration, spatial cognition, visual processing, higher-order cognitive functions, and emotional processing. Examination of the relationship between GSE and white matter microstructure revealed that higher GSE was linked with higher white matter integrity and information transmission efficiency. However, unexpectedly, greater forest cover was linked with reduced white matter integrity. This finding suggests that forest-related GSE might have a different impact on white matter properties than other forms of GSE. GSE was also significantly related to mental health and cognition. Greater GSE-related brain structural development was linked to reduced externalizing (behavioral regulation) and internalizing problems (such as anxiety and depression). A link was also found between GSE-related white matter integrity and improved behavioral regulation, but not internalizing problems. Regarding cognitive function, results indicated that enhanced brain structure and white matter integrity related to GSE were associated with enhanced crystallized intelligence (accumulation of knowledge and language abilities). GSE-related improvements in white matter microstructure were linked to enhanced fluid intelligence (reasoning and problem-solving), suggesting that white matter microstructure "may serve as a potential neural mechanism linking GSE to fluid intelligence.” Finally, findings remained significant after controlling for socioeconomic factors, except for crystallized intelligence. This finding suggests that crystallized intelligence is likely “more strongly influenced by socioeconomic and educational resources embedded within greener neighborhoods rather than GSE itself.”
The study makes an important contribution to the literature by revealing the significant role GSE plays in shaping children’s neural and behavioral development. Findings suggest that GSE may promote the development of key brain regions in children and adolescents that support emotional regulation, behavioral control, and cognitive functions. Results extend both Attention Restoration Theory and Stress Reduction Theory by showing that exposure to nature alters brain structures and strengthens specific neural pathways involved in cognitive restoration and stress reduction, thereby promoting better cognitive and mental health outcomes. Unexpected findings were documented regarding exposure to evergreen forests and densely forested areas. The researchers propose that forested areas may offer fewer opportunities for social interaction than urban green spaces, which might limit cognitive stimulation and the development of associated neural circuits. The researchers caution that findings do not infer causality between GSE and brain development or psychological outcomes. Further research is needed to examine whether GSE causes long-term changes in children’s neural and behavioral development. The researchers advise urban planners to “prioritize community-oriented, accessible green spaces—such as parks and playgrounds—that offer rich sensory, visual, and motor experiences” to facilitate cognitive stimulation and social interaction, especially in socioeconomically disadvantaged neighborhoods, to support children’s cognitive and mental health.
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