Outdoor Garden Activities may Increase the Function of Prefrontal Cortex in Cognitively Impaired Older Adults

• 발행기관: 인간식물환경학회
• 저자명: Minji Kang ChoHye Youn Juyoung Lee
• 간행물 정보: 『인간식물환경학회지(JPPE)』제28권 제2호, 173~191쪽, 전체 19쪽
• 주제분류: 자연과학 > 자연과학일반
• 파일형태: PDF
• 발행일자: 2025.04.30

국문 초록

Background and objective: With the rising prevalence of dementia in aging societies, there is an urgent need for effective,non-invasive interventions to support cognitive function and emotional stability. Gardening, a nature-based activity, hasdemonstrated potential to enhance mental and physical well-being, yet its direct impact on prefrontal cortex functionremains largely unclear. This study investigates the effects of outdoor gardening activities (OGA) on prefrontal cortex (PFC)activation in elderly individuals with dementia and cognitive impairments, comparing these effects to those of indoorcognitive training (ICT). Methods: A total of 23 elderly individuals with dementia and cognitive impairments (n = 23) participated in this study. Usingnear-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS), changes in oxyhemoglobin concentration in the frontal lobe were assessed during OGAand ICT activities. The analysis focused on key PFC regions, including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC),ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (LOFC), and frontopolar prefrontal cortex (FP-PFC). Connectivitybetween PFC regions was also examined to evaluate inter-regional interactions and functional coherence. Results: Outdoor gardening activities significantly increased blood flow in various regions of the PFC compared to ICT, withmarked activation observed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), right ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC), rightorbitofrontal cortex (LOFC), and frontopolar prefrontal cortex (FP-PFC). Additionally, the study confirmed enhancedconnectivity between different PFC regions during gardening, suggesting the promotion of frontal lobe interactions. Conclusion: This research provides empirical evidence that nature-based outdoor gardening activities are effectiveinterventions for cognitive function improvement and dementia prevention. These findings can serve as important data inenhancing cognitive function and emotional stability for dementia patients in an aging society.

목차

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키워드

brain cognitive function dementia garden near-infrared spectroscopy