According to a brain-scanning study, the brains of people living in cities operate differently from those in rural areas. Scientists found that two parts of the brain, involved in the regulation of emotion and anxiety, become overactive in city-dwellers when they are stressed. They also argue that the differences could account for the increased rates of mental health problems seen in urban areas.
In experiments designed to make them feel anxious, Professor Andreas Meyer-Lindenberg of the University of Heidelberg scanned the brains of more than 50 healthy volunteers.
The results, published in Nature, showed that the amygdala of participants who live in cities was over-active during stressful situations. The amygdala is the danger-sensor of the brain.
Another region called the cingulate cortex was overactive in participants who were born in cities. The cingulate cortex is important for controlling emotion and dealing with environmental adversity.
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