The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people

Chris Neale; Peter Aspinall; Jennifer Roe; Sara Tilley; Panagiotis Mavros; Steve Cinderby; Richard Coyne; Neil Thin; Catharine Ward Thompson

doi:10.1080/23748834.2019.1619893

The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people

Chris Neale, Peter Aspinall, Jennifer Roe, Sara Tilley, Panagiotis Mavros, Steve Cinderby, Richard Coyne, Neil Thin, Catharine Ward Thompson

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract / Description of output

Neurourbanism looks to understand the relationship between urban environments and mental wellbeing and is well placed to assess the role of these environments on the urbanised and ageing global population. This study builds on research using mobile electroencephalography (EEG) to understand the impact of urban environments (busy, quiet and green urban spaces) on brain activity.
Ninety-five older participants aged over 65 years undertook one of six walks in an urban neighbourhood, transitioning between two distinct environmental settings. This study explores changes in alpha (associated with relaxation) and beta (associated with attention) brain activity recorded during walking in differing urban environments.
Neural activity significantly varies as participants walk between urban busy and green settings, with reduced levels of low beta activity in the green setting, suggesting attention changes consistent with Attention Restoration Theory. Levels of alpha activity significantly varied between the urban busy and the urban quiet settings, with increases in the urban busy setting.
There were no significant differences in EEG activity between the urban green and urban quiet settings, suggesting that the magnitude of environmental contrast between the urban busy context and other urban settings is an important factor in understanding the effects of these spaces on brain activity.

Original language	English
Journal	Cities and Health
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2019.1619893
Publication status	Published - 24 Jun 2019
Event	Mobility, Mood & Place Conference Co-Design Workshop - Edinburgh Old Town, John McIntyre Centre, Edinburgh, United Kingdom Duration: 14 Oct 2016 → …

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

EEG
mobility
urban
Emotiv
older adults

Access to Document

10.1080/23748834.2019.1619893Licence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

NealeEtalCH2019ImpactWalkingOlderPeople.pdfFinal published version, 2.09 MBLicence: Creative Commons: Attribution (CC-BY)

1 Finished

Mobility, Mood and Place: a user-centred approach to design of built environments to make mobility easy, enjoyable and meaningful for older people
Ward Thompson, C., Coyne, R. & Scott, I.
EPSRC
1/09/13 → 30/04/17
Project: Research

4 Article
2 Book
1 Chapter (peer-reviewed)
1 Digital or Visual Products

Association Between the Activity Space Exposure to Parks in Childhood and Adolescence and Cognitive Aging in Later Life
Cherrie, M., Shortt, N., Ward Thompson, C., Deary, I. & Pearce, J., 21 Feb 2019, In: International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
Health impacts of environmental and social interventions designed to increase deprived communities’ access to urban woodlands: a mixed methods study
Ward Thompson, C., Silveirinha de Oliveira, E. M., Tilley, S., Elizalde, A., Botha, W., Briggs, A., Cummins, S., Leyland, A., Roe, J., Aspinall, P., Brookfield, K. & Mitchell, R., 25 Jan 2019, In: Public Health Research. 7, 2, p. 1-172
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File
Life course of place: A longitudinal study of mental health and place
Pearce, J., Cherrie, M., Shortt, N., Deary, I. & Ward Thompson, C., 2 Nov 2018, In: Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers. 43, 4, p. 555-572 18 p.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Open Access
File

Ecological grief: I mourn the loss of nature - it saved me from addiction
Catharine Ward Thompson, Sara Tilley, Agnes Patuano, Richard Coyne, Neil Thin, Jenny Roe, Chris Neale, Steve Cinderby, Peter Aspinall & Panos Mavros
25/02/20
1 Media contribution
Press/Media: Research

6 Invited talk
3 Participation in workshop, seminar, course
1 Participation in conference

Healthy Parks and Open Space: the Salutogenic Environment
Catharine Ward Thompson (Keynote speaker)
15 Feb 2023 → 17 Feb 2023
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Understanding Ageing: the importance of Place (and of salutogenic landscapes)
Catharine Ward Thompson (Invited speaker)
6 Oct 2022
Activity: Academic talk or presentation types › Invited talk
Green & Natural Spaces for the Triple-Win
Catharine Ward Thompson (Invited speaker)
25 Feb 2021
Activity: Participating in or organising an event types › Participation in workshop, seminar, course

Cite this

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title = "The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people",

abstract = "Neurourbanism looks to understand the relationship between urban environments and mental wellbeing and is well placed to assess the role of these environments on the urbanised and ageing global population. This study builds on research using mobile electroencephalography (EEG) to understand the impact of urban environments (busy, quiet and green urban spaces) on brain activity. Ninety-five older participants aged over 65 years undertook one of six walks in an urban neighbourhood, transitioning between two distinct environmental settings. This study explores changes in alpha (associated with relaxation) and beta (associated with attention) brain activity recorded during walking in differing urban environments. Neural activity significantly varies as participants walk between urban busy and green settings, with reduced levels of low beta activity in the green setting, suggesting attention changes consistent with Attention Restoration Theory. Levels of alpha activity significantly varied between the urban busy and the urban quiet settings, with increases in the urban busy setting. There were no significant differences in EEG activity between the urban green and urban quiet settings, suggesting that the magnitude of environmental contrast between the urban busy context and other urban settings is an important factor in understanding the effects of these spaces on brain activity. ",

keywords = "EEG, mobility, urban, Emotiv, older adults",

author = "Chris Neale and Peter Aspinall and Jennifer Roe and Sara Tilley and Panagiotis Mavros and Steve Cinderby and Richard Coyne and Neil Thin and {Ward Thompson}, Catharine",

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doi = "10.1080/23748834.2019.1619893",

language = "English",

journal = "Cities and Health",

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AU - Roe, Jennifer

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AU - Mavros, Panagiotis

AU - Cinderby, Steve

AU - Coyne, Richard

AU - Thin, Neil

AU - Ward Thompson, Catharine

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N2 - Neurourbanism looks to understand the relationship between urban environments and mental wellbeing and is well placed to assess the role of these environments on the urbanised and ageing global population. This study builds on research using mobile electroencephalography (EEG) to understand the impact of urban environments (busy, quiet and green urban spaces) on brain activity. Ninety-five older participants aged over 65 years undertook one of six walks in an urban neighbourhood, transitioning between two distinct environmental settings. This study explores changes in alpha (associated with relaxation) and beta (associated with attention) brain activity recorded during walking in differing urban environments. Neural activity significantly varies as participants walk between urban busy and green settings, with reduced levels of low beta activity in the green setting, suggesting attention changes consistent with Attention Restoration Theory. Levels of alpha activity significantly varied between the urban busy and the urban quiet settings, with increases in the urban busy setting. There were no significant differences in EEG activity between the urban green and urban quiet settings, suggesting that the magnitude of environmental contrast between the urban busy context and other urban settings is an important factor in understanding the effects of these spaces on brain activity.

AB - Neurourbanism looks to understand the relationship between urban environments and mental wellbeing and is well placed to assess the role of these environments on the urbanised and ageing global population. This study builds on research using mobile electroencephalography (EEG) to understand the impact of urban environments (busy, quiet and green urban spaces) on brain activity. Ninety-five older participants aged over 65 years undertook one of six walks in an urban neighbourhood, transitioning between two distinct environmental settings. This study explores changes in alpha (associated with relaxation) and beta (associated with attention) brain activity recorded during walking in differing urban environments. Neural activity significantly varies as participants walk between urban busy and green settings, with reduced levels of low beta activity in the green setting, suggesting attention changes consistent with Attention Restoration Theory. Levels of alpha activity significantly varied between the urban busy and the urban quiet settings, with increases in the urban busy setting. There were no significant differences in EEG activity between the urban green and urban quiet settings, suggesting that the magnitude of environmental contrast between the urban busy context and other urban settings is an important factor in understanding the effects of these spaces on brain activity.

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The impact of walking in different urban environments on brain activity in older people

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