Environmental neuroscience active-ingredients framework¶

Theory · All theories
Evidence · 2 claims (1 for, 1 mixed) · 1 study (1 design), q2 · 0 of 1 report an effect size · 2 claims rest on one study

Description¶

The article frames environmental neuroscience as a field aiming to identify the "active ingredients" of the physical environment — specific features such as air quality, ambient noise levels, and light exposure that affect brain working mechanisms and mental well-being. It argues that studying these ingredients in isolation fails to reflect real-life exposure because factors are highly interrelated, so both their common and unique contributions to brain structure and function must be considered. The Day2Day Environment project operationalizes this framework by simultaneously measuring multiple exposures alongside brain measures over time.

Design Implications¶

Context¶

Requirements¶

• Simultaneous, repeated assessment of multiple environmental exposures together with brain measures over time, rather than isolated single-factor designs

Constraints¶

• The authors note many existing studies focus on only one or a few isolated environmental factors, which does not reflect the complexity of real-life exposure

Target Learners¶

• Adults in everyday urban environments
• Researchers studying environment–brain relationships

Target Learning Objectives¶

• Identifying which environmental features affect brain mechanisms and mental well-being
• Understanding interactions among multiple simultaneous environmental exposures

Claims¶

• Urban Living Linked To Stress Brain Activity And Grey Matter Deficits [~M]
• Outdoor Time Associated With Right Dlpfc Grey Matter [+M]

Related Theories¶

Examples¶

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Key Sources¶

• Falkenstein Kim, Pauley Claire, Kühn Simone. (2026). Investigating effects of day-to-day variations in environmental exposure on the human brain: study protocol for the Day2Day Environment project. BMC Neuroscience. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12868-026-01052-z