Global urbanicity is associated with brain and behaviour in young people
Research output: Contribution to journal › Research article › Contributed › peer-review
Contributors
- Tianjin Medical University
- King's College London (KCL)
- Tsinghua University
- Tianjin University of Commerce
- New Light Technologies Inc.
- Fudan University
- Zhengzhou University
- Henan Provincial People's Hospital
- Hebei Medical University
- Huazhong University of Science and Technology
- Nanjing University
- Central South University
- Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine
- Shanxi Medical University
- Zhejiang University
- Anhui Medical University
- Guizhou Medical University
- Tianjin Huanhu Hospital
- Fourth Military Medical University
- Hainan General Hospital
- Capital Medical University (CMU)
- Wenzhou Medical University
- Lanzhou University
- Beijing Normal University
- Shandong University
- Tianjin First Central Hospital
- Dalian Medical University
- Medical College of Chinese People's Armed Police Forces
- Sichuan University
- University of Science and Technology of China (USTC)
- Xuzhou Medical University
- Heidelberg University
- Trinity College Dublin
- University of Mannheim
- Université Paris-Saclay
- University of Vermont
- University of Nottingham
- Department of Dermatology, Allergy and Venereology
Abstract
Urbanicity is a growing environmental challenge for mental health. Here, we investigate correlations of urbanicity with brain structure and function, neuropsychology and mental illness symptoms in young people from China and Europe (total n = 3,867). We developed a remote-sensing satellite measure (UrbanSat) to quantify population density at any point on Earth. UrbanSat estimates of urbanicity were correlated with brain volume, cortical surface area and brain network connectivity in the medial prefrontal cortex and cerebellum. UrbanSat was also associated with perspective-taking and depression symptoms, and this was mediated by neural variables. Urbanicity effects were greatest when urban exposure occurred in childhood for the cerebellum, and from childhood to adolescence for the prefrontal cortex. As UrbanSat can be generalized to different geographies, it may enable assessments of correlations of urbanicity with mental illness and resilience globally.
Details
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 279-293 |
Number of pages | 15 |
Journal | Nature human behaviour |
Volume | 2022 |
Issue number | 6(2) |
Early online date | 28 Oct 2021 |
Publication status | Published - Feb 2022 |
Peer-reviewed | Yes |
External IDs
PubMed | 34711977 |
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ORCID | /0000-0001-5398-5569/work/161890748 |
ORCID | /0000-0002-8493-6396/work/161891660 |