How the physical environment shapes the human brain
BrainScape aims to explore how physical environments influence brain health and well-being, using neuroimaging and innovative studies to inform urban planning for healthier living.
Projectdetails
Introduction
BrainScape constitutes a timely approach to study a widely unexplored aspect in the neurosciences, namely whether and how the physical environment that surrounds us day in, day out impacts our brain, well-being, and mental health.
Objectives
BrainScape aims to spearhead the emerging field of Environmental Neuroscience and will make an impact by building a knowledge base for evidence-based urban planning to promote healthy living environments with significant practical implications. Given that our environment is undergoing rapid changes (urbanization, climate change), understanding how these changes may impact humanity is a crucial challenge of our time.
Research Focus
First evidence suggests that long-term as well as day-to-day variations in exposure to solitary environmental factors (e.g., air pollution) may be relevant. The goal of BrainScape is twofold:
- To identify the active ingredients of the environment by introducing a more holistic understanding of the environment as a multi-layered complex phenomenon.
- To gain insight into the pathways and mechanisms by which the environment affects the brain and mental health.
Methodology
To accomplish this, BrainScape will utilize existing large-scale cross-sectional and longitudinal neuroimaging data sets (UK Biobank, NAKO, HCHS, IMAGEN) to identify the most important features of the physical environment.
These features will be at the core of prospective controlled studies, including a discordant monozygotic twin study. Here we will combine the assessment of:
- Objectively experienced environment (e.g., wearable sensors)
- Subjectively perceived environment
This will be paired with brain plasticity measured using 7 T MRI.
Expected Outcomes
The identification of the most influential environmental salutogenic features will inform a targeted intervention study and experiments in highly controlled lab environments using innovative VR technology combined with fMRI and fNIRS.
The results will unravel the active ingredients of nature and the neural mechanisms by which they affect human beings.
Financiële details & Tijdlijn
Financiële details
Subsidiebedrag | € 1.999.600 |
Totale projectbegroting | € 1.999.600 |
Tijdlijn
Startdatum | 1-7-2023 |
Einddatum | 30-6-2028 |
Subsidiejaar | 2023 |
Partners & Locaties
Projectpartners
- MAX-PLANCK-GESELLSCHAFT ZUR FORDERUNG DER WISSENSCHAFTEN EVpenvoerder
- UNIVERSITAETSKLINIKUM HAMBURG-EPPENDORF
Land(en)
Vergelijkbare projecten binnen European Research Council
Project | Regeling | Bedrag | Jaar | Actie |
---|---|---|---|---|
Beyond mapping of the human brain: causal deconstruction of brain mechanisms underlying complex social behaviorsThis project aims to explore the neural mechanisms of social information processing through innovative behavioral tasks and neurofeedback, enhancing understanding and treatment of social disorders. | ERC Starting... | € 1.637.981 | 2023 | Details |
Geographic environments, daily activities and stress: a study on the space-time fragmentation of exposure patternsThe FragMent project investigates how spatial and temporal fragmentation of daily environments affects physiological and psychological stress, aiming to identify social inequalities in stress exposure. | ERC Starting... | € 1.496.821 | 2022 | Details |
GREENER URBAN TRAVEL ENVIRONMENTS FOR EVERYONE: From measured wellbeing impacts to Big Data analyticsThe project aims to assess the quality and equity of green urban travel environments using advanced technologies to enhance wellbeing and inform future greenery integration in cities. | ERC Consolid... | € 1.981.735 | 2023 | Details |
Embodied Ecologies: A collaborative inquiry into how people sense, know, and act to reduce chemical exposures in everyday urban life.This project investigates urban chemical exposure through multi-modal ethnography and cartography to develop harm reduction strategies and inform transformative policy changes for sustainability. | ERC Advanced... | € 2.499.117 | 2022 | Details |
Bidirectional Brain/Neural-Computer Interaction for Restoration of Mental HealthThis project aims to develop a portable neuromodulation system using quantum sensors and magnetic stimulation to precisely target brain oscillations for treating mental health disorders. | ERC Consolid... | € 1.999.875 | 2025 | Details |
Beyond mapping of the human brain: causal deconstruction of brain mechanisms underlying complex social behaviors
This project aims to explore the neural mechanisms of social information processing through innovative behavioral tasks and neurofeedback, enhancing understanding and treatment of social disorders.
Geographic environments, daily activities and stress: a study on the space-time fragmentation of exposure patterns
The FragMent project investigates how spatial and temporal fragmentation of daily environments affects physiological and psychological stress, aiming to identify social inequalities in stress exposure.
GREENER URBAN TRAVEL ENVIRONMENTS FOR EVERYONE: From measured wellbeing impacts to Big Data analytics
The project aims to assess the quality and equity of green urban travel environments using advanced technologies to enhance wellbeing and inform future greenery integration in cities.
Embodied Ecologies: A collaborative inquiry into how people sense, know, and act to reduce chemical exposures in everyday urban life.
This project investigates urban chemical exposure through multi-modal ethnography and cartography to develop harm reduction strategies and inform transformative policy changes for sustainability.
Bidirectional Brain/Neural-Computer Interaction for Restoration of Mental Health
This project aims to develop a portable neuromodulation system using quantum sensors and magnetic stimulation to precisely target brain oscillations for treating mental health disorders.