Viewing an alpine environment positively affects emotional analytics in patients with somatoform, depressive and anxiety disorders as well as in healthy controls

Hüfner, Katharina; Ower, Cornelia; Kemmler, Georg; Vill, Theresa; Martini, Caroline; Schmitt, Aurore; Sperner‐Unterweger, Barbara

doi:10.1186/s12888-020-02787-7

Cited by 4 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 38 publications

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“…Their interventions have utilized pictures of nature [ 14 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 52 ], virtual reality [ 15 , 53 , 54 , 55 , 56 ], videos [ 16 , 49 , 57 , 58 , 59 , 60 ], nature sounds [ 17 , 61 , 62 ], and guided imagery [ 18 ]. After indirectly interacting with nature, participants of these interventions experienced greater positive affect (positive emotions) [ 14 , 15 , 16 , 53 , 55 , 56 , 59 ], happiness [ 49 ], satisfaction with life [ 59 ], emotional response [ 51 ], mood [ 52 ], and perceived restorativeness [ 16 , 56 ]; and decreased negative affect [ 15 , 53 , 58 , 60 ], anxiety [ 17 , 18 , 57 , 61 , 62 ], depression [ 57 , 63 ], rumination [ 58 ], and agitation [ 17 , 61 ]. Chang et al utilized functional magnetic resonance imaging in their study and reported that viewing pictures of urban green landscapes activated regions of the brain that have been associated with executive at...…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review

Stott,

Forde,

Sharma

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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Interacting with nature may promote mental and physical health. There are multiple ways to interact with nature: indirectly, incidentally, and intentionally. How these types of interactions with nature may be associated with mental and physical health status and health behaviors is unclear. The purpose of this narrative review is to (1) describe the relationship between interactions with nature (indirect, incidental, and intentional) and mental and physical health outcomes and behaviors, (2) identify gaps in the literature, and (3) provide recommendations for future research. Considerable evidence suggests that interacting with nature, indirectly and intentionally, is associated with improvements in mental health and physical exhibitions of mental status. Furthermore, intentionally interacting with nature is associated with engagement in physical activity and gardening is associated with fruit and vegetable consumption. Research suggests that incidentally interacting with nature may be associated with positive mental health status. More research is needed to understand the relationships between incidental interactions with nature and physical health status and behaviors; as well as among all types of interactions with nature and physical health disorders, sleep, and dietary behaviors.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review

Stott,

Forde,

Sharma

et al. 2024

IJERPH

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“…Several intervention studies were identified [24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39]. Of them, a minority included patients with MDD only [24][25][26][27][28][29], and the majority [21,[30][31][32][33][34][35][37][38][39] recruited mixed samples including patients with depressive disorders, although separate results for that group were not reported.…”

Section: Intervention Studiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a laboratory investigation, Hüfner et al [36] exposed healthy controls and patients with mental disorders, such as somatoform, depressive, and anxiety disorders, to visual stimuli from alpine environments vs. neutral stimuli. A positive effect of alpine vs. neutral visual stimuli, assessed by Self-Assessment Manikin, was observed on emotional analytics for both groups.…”

Section: Intervention Studies With Mixed Samplesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lifestyle Prescription for Depression with a Focus on Nature Exposure and Screen Time: A Narrative Review

Balanzá‐Martínez

Cervera-Martínez

2022

IJERPH

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Recent lifestyles changes have favored increased time in contact with screens and a parallel reduction in contact with natural environments. There is growing awareness that nature exposure and screen time are related to depression. So far, the roles of how these environmental lifestyles affect depressive symptoms and disorders have not been reviewed simultaneously. The aim of this review was to gather the literature regarding the role of nature exposure and screen time in depression. An emphasis was made on clinical samples of patients with well-defined depression and the different methodological approaches used in the field. A second goal was to suggest an agenda for clinical practice and research. Studies were included if they assessed depressive symptoms in patients with a clinical diagnosis of depression. An overview of the published literature was conducted using three scientific databases up to December 2021. Several interventions involving nature exposure have shown positive effects on depressive symptoms and mood-related measures. The most consistent finding suggests that walks in natural environments may decrease depressive symptoms in patients with clinical depression. Less researched interventions, such as psychotherapy delivered in a forest or access to natural environments via virtual reality, may also be effective. In contrast, fewer observational studies and no experimental research on screen time have been conducted in patients with clinical depression. Thus, recommendations for practice and research are also discussed. Scarce research, diverse interventions, and several methodological shortcomings prevent us from drawing conclusions in this area. More high-quality experimental research is needed to establish interventions with proven efficacy in clinical depression. At this stage, it is too early to formulate practice guidelines and advise the prescription of these lifestyles to individuals with depression. The present findings may serve as a basis to develop strategies based on nature exposure and screen time targeting clinical depression.

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“…However, inconclusive ndings were identi ed regarding the effects on energy, calmness, tension, anger, and depression (8). Physical activity when performed in an outdoor/green/alpine environment improves mental health (9). Moreover, outdoor PA is not only presented as supporting the prevention of mental disorders, but also in its recovery (6, 10).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Moreover, outdoor PA is not only presented as supporting the prevention of mental disorders, but also in its recovery (6, 10). For example, Hufner, Ower (9) suggests that therapeutic programs for persons with somatoform, depressive and anxiety disorders should consider taking the bene ts of natural outdoor environments. Similarly, Lin (11) argued about the bene cial in uence of outdoor exercise for women on anxiety reduction.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of an outdoor exercise program in persons with schizophrenia: Study protocol

Lourenço,

Bastos,

Pizarro

et al. 2024

Preprint

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Background: Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder that affects around 1% of the population worldwide. Regular physical activity and exercise has been proposed as a non-pharmacological strategy for prevention and management of the disorder. Outdoor activities such as aerobic training can be an effective approach to promote health. The study will evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of a 24-week outdoor exercise program and the long-term effects of a 12-week follow-up on the physical and mental health of persons with schizophrenia. A detailed description of the rationale, design and methods of the protocol study will be provided. Methods: The study will be a quasi-experimental controlled trial using a parallel-group design with multiple assessments over an 8-month period. The study will comprise outpatients between the ages of 18 and 60, clinically diagnosed with schizophrenia. Participants will be allocated to the experimental and control group. The experimental group will perform outdoor exercise twice a week, switching between walking and cycling for 24-weeks, while the control group will continue with regular daily activities. Assessments will be carried out at baseline, post-intervention and at 12-week follow-up. The expected results will be improvements in functional capacity, physical fitness, physical activity levels, self-esteem, motivation to physical activity and quality of life. Also, improvements in anthropometric measures will be expected. Discussion: The study protocol and future results will add knowledge about the beneficial contribution of outdoor exercise on mental health policies. This study may also contribute to provide guidelines on exercise prescription for persons with schizophrenia.

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Viewing an alpine environment positively affects emotional analytics in patients with somatoform, depressive and anxiety disorders as well as in healthy controls

Cited by 4 publications

References 38 publications

Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review

Interactions with Nature, Good for the Mind and Body: A Narrative Review

Lifestyle Prescription for Depression with a Focus on Nature Exposure and Screen Time: A Narrative Review

Effects of an outdoor exercise program in persons with schizophrenia: Study protocol

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