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Physiological Effects of Visual Stimulation with Forest Imagery

Author

Listed:
  • Chorong Song

    (Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Harumi Ikei

    (Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan
    Department of Wood Engineering, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute, 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
    These authors contributed equally to this work.)

  • Yoshifumi Miyazaki

    (Center for Environment, Health and Field Sciences, Chiba University, 6-2-1 Kashiwa-no-ha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-0882, Japan)

Abstract

This study was aimed to clarify the physiological effects of visual stimulation using forest imagery on activity of the brain and autonomic nervous system. Seventeen female university students (mean age, 21.1 ± 1.0 years) participated in the study. As an indicator of brain activity, oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) concentrations were measured in the left and right prefrontal cortex using near-infrared time-resolved spectroscopy. Heart rate variability (HRV) was used as an indicator of autonomic nervous activity. The high-frequency (HF) component of HRV, which reflected parasympathetic nervous activity, and the ratio of low-frequency (LF) and high-frequency components (LF/HF), which reflected sympathetic nervous activity, were measured. Forest and city (control) images were used as visual stimuli using a large plasma display window. After sitting at rest viewing a gray background for 60 s, participants viewed two images for 90 s. During rest and visual stimulation, HRV and oxy-Hb concentration in the prefrontal cortex were continuously measured. Immediately thereafter, subjective evaluation of feelings was performed using a modified semantic differential (SD) method. The results showed that visual stimulation with forest imagery induced (1) a significant decrease in oxy-Hb concentrations in the right prefrontal cortex and (2) a significant increase in perceptions of feeling “comfortable,” “relaxed,” and “natural.”

Suggested Citation

  • Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2018. "Physiological Effects of Visual Stimulation with Forest Imagery," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(2), pages 1-11, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:2:p:213-:d:128942
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    4. Margaret M. Hansen & Reo Jones & Kirsten Tocchini, 2017. "Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) and Nature Therapy: A State-of-the-Art Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 14(8), pages 1-48, July.
    5. Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Maiko Kobayashi & Takashi Miura & Masao Taue & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Effect of Forest Walking on Autonomic Nervous System Activity in Middle-Aged Hypertensive Individuals: A Pilot Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-13, March.
    6. Hiroko Ochiai & Harumi Ikei & Chorong Song & Maiko Kobayashi & Ako Takamatsu & Takashi Miura & Takahide Kagawa & Qing Li & Shigeyoshi Kumeda & Michiko Imai & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2015. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest Therapy on Middle-Aged Males with High-Normal Blood Pressure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(3), pages 1-11, February.
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    Cited by:

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    8. Hiromi Suenaga & Kanako Murakami & Nozomi Murata & Syoriki Nishikawa & Masae Tsutsumi & Hiroshi Nogaki, 2020. "The Effects of an Artificial Garden on Heart Rate Variability among Healthy Young Japanese Adults," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(24), pages 1-10, December.
    9. Norimasa Takayama & Takeshi Morikawa & Kazuko Koga & Yoichi Miyazaki & Kenichi Harada & Keiko Fukumoto & Yuji Tsujiki, 2022. "Exploring the Physiological and Psychological Effects of Digital Shinrin-Yoku and Its Characteristics as a Restorative Environment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-18, January.
    10. Rikuto Yamashita & Chong Chen & Toshio Matsubara & Kosuke Hagiwara & Masato Inamura & Kohei Aga & Masako Hirotsu & Tomoe Seki & Akiyo Takao & Erika Nakagawa & Ayumi Kobayashi & Yuko Fujii & Keiko Hira, 2021. "The Mood-Improving Effect of Viewing Images of Nature and Its Neural Substrate," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(10), pages 1-11, May.
    11. Federica Zabini & Lorenzo Albanese & Francesco Riccardo Becheri & Gioele Gavazzi & Fiorenza Giganti & Fabio Giovanelli & Giorgio Gronchi & Andrea Guazzini & Marco Laurino & Qing Li & Tessa Marzi & Fra, 2020. "Comparative Study of the Restorative Effects of Forest and Urban Videos during COVID-19 Lockdown: Intrinsic and Benchmark Values," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-13, October.
    12. Junfang Xie & Binyi Liu & Mohamed Elsadek, 2021. "How Can Flowers and Their Colors Promote Individuals’ Physiological and Psychological States during the COVID-19 Lockdown?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(19), pages 1-15, September.
    13. Hyunju Jo & Chorong Song & Harumi Ikei & Seiya Enomoto & Hiromitsu Kobayashi & Yoshifumi Miyazaki, 2019. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of Forest and Urban Sounds Using High-Resolution Sound Sources," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-13, July.
    14. Chie Imamura & Kiyomi Sakakibara & Kyosuke Arai & Hideki Ohira & Yuhei Yamaguchi & Hitoshi Yamada, 2022. "Effect of Indoor Forest Bathing on Reducing Feelings of Fatigue Using Cerebral Activity as an Indicator," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(11), pages 1-16, May.
    15. Yuqian Wang & Mingyan Jiang & Yinshu Huang & Zhiyi Sheng & Xiao Huang & Wei Lin & Qibing Chen & Xi Li & Zhenghua Luo & Bingyang Lv, 2020. "Physiological and Psychological Effects of Watching Videos of Different Durations Showing Urban Bamboo Forests with Varied Structures," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-18, May.

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