Nature reduces pain-related brain activity
Exposure to nature may change the way the brain responds to pain, according to a study by researchers at the Universities of Exeter and Vienna.
In this study, brain scans of 49 patients who received small electric shocks showed that pain-related activity was reduced when people were shown films with nature scenes compared to urban images or indoor office spaces.
Although nature’s effects on pain reduction are almost half that of painkillers, and the findings could provide alternative ways to manage pain, people with pain should definitely continue taking their prescribed medications, the researchers said./Nature Communications
