CAVA

Effects of visual and auditory environmental stimuli on the conscious brain and emotions

Our surroundings can have a significant impact on our mental health and well-being. As the world becomes more and more urbanized, the impact of this shift towards living in urban environments—which may negatively influence mental health and emotions—needs to be explored. We aim to do just this, by investigating the “active ingredients”, sensory components and brain mechanisms driving our diverse reactions to urban and nature scenes.

In the “CAVA” study, we recorded videos of Berlin’s urban and nature environments to present to participants within an MRI scanner. By leveraging functional MRI (fMRI) technology, we explore the effects of these environments on the brain both on a sensory level—using videoscapes or soundscapes—and a conscious level, examining their impact on the conscious but also non-conscious processing of emotions. Combined with questionnaire data, we seek to answer the question as to the active ingredients driving the diverse effects of urban and natural environments on the brain and mental health. In bridging the gap between real and virtual exposure, we further hope to determine whether the beneficial effects of nature can be feasibly provided to individuals with mental health disorders or those with limited access to natural environments.

Literatur

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