The Benefits of Nature for Mood and Cognition in Persons With and Without Parkinson's Disease

NCT06483126 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 7175E
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 97
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This online study aims to explore the benefits of nature for mood and cognition in persons with and without Parkinson's disease. For the purpose of this survey, "natural environment" refers to places that primarily consist of natural elements, such as vegetation, water bodies, and landscapes. This includes greenspaces (such as parks, gardens, neighborhood streets lined with trees, forests, or nature reserves) bluespaces (such as next to beaches, lakes, rivers, ponds, or waterfronts), and desert regions, among others.

Conditions

Parkinson Disease; Mood; Cognition

Keywords

Nature; Natural Environments

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Nature Connection Index

  Assesses the extent to which people feel connected to nature.

  Baseline

• Perceived Restorativeness Scale

  Assesses the extent to which particular environments have restorative qualities. Higher scores indicate greater perceived restorativeness.

  Baseline

• Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression (CES-D)

  Assesses depressive symptoms in the general population. Maximum score:60. Higher scores indicate more severe depression.

  Baseline

• Parkinson's Disease Sleep Scale-2

  Assesses sleep and nocturnal disturbances in Parkinson's disease. Maximum score: 60. Higher scores indicate more frequent sleep disturbances.

  Baseline

• Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire - 8 (PDQ-8)

  Assesses Parkinson's disease-specific health-related quality of life. Maximum Score: 32. Higher scores indicate worse quality of life.

  Baseline

• Perceived Stress Scale

  Assesses how different situations affect feelings and perception of stress. Maximum score: 40. Higher scores indicate higher perceived stress.

  Baseline

• NIH NeuroQoL measures

  Assesses health-related quality of life in adults with neurological disorders. Higher scores on the sub-scales indicate worse outcomes.

  Baseline

• Parkinson's Anxiety Scale (PAS)

  Assesses the severity of anxiety symptoms in persons with Parkinson's disease. Maximum score:48. Higher scores indicate more severe anxiety.

  Baseline

Study Arms (2)

Persons with Parkinson's disease (PwPD)

Individuals with a diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

Persons without Parkinson's disease

Healthy middle-aged and older adults

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 40 Years - 100 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Persons with and without Parkinson's disease volunteering for an online study

You may qualify if:

• For persons with Parkinson's disease:
• Participants must be at least 40 years old
• Have a diagnosis of idiopathic PD
• Be proficient English speakers
• Have functional vision
• Have internet access, and access to a smartphone/laptop/desktop
• For persons without Parkinson's disease:
• Participants must be healthy middle-aged and older adults, with no diagnosis of neurological/neurodegenerative conditions
• Participants must be at least 40 years old
• Be proficient English speakers
• Have functional vision
• Have internet access, and access to a smartphone/laptop/desktop

You may not qualify if:

• Diagnosis of dementia
• Poor vision (non-functional range)
• Lack of access to internet or to a smartphone/ laptop/desktop computer.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Boston University Charles River Campus: lead

Study Sites (1)

Vision and Cognition Laboratory, Boston University

Boston, Massachusetts, 02215, United States

Location

Related Publications (8)

• Alcock I, White MP, Wheeler BW, Fleming LE, Depledge MH. Longitudinal effects on mental health of moving to greener and less green urban areas. Environ Sci Technol. 2014 Jan 21;48(2):1247-55. doi: 10.1021/es403688w. Epub 2014 Jan 7.

  PMID: 24320055 BACKGROUND

• Gascon M, Triguero-Mas M, Martinez D, Dadvand P, Forns J, Plasencia A, Nieuwenhuijsen MJ. Mental health benefits of long-term exposure to residential green and blue spaces: a systematic review. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2015 Apr 22;12(4):4354-79. doi: 10.3390/ijerph120404354.

  PMID: 25913182 BACKGROUND

• Hartig T, Mitchell R, de Vries S, Frumkin H. Nature and health. Annu Rev Public Health. 2014;35:207-28. doi: 10.1146/annurev-publhealth-032013-182443. Epub 2014 Jan 2.

  PMID: 24387090 BACKGROUND

• Rigolon A, Browning MHEM, McAnirlin O, Yoon HV. Green Space and Health Equity: A Systematic Review on the Potential of Green Space to Reduce Health Disparities. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Mar 4;18(5):2563. doi: 10.3390/ijerph18052563.

  PMID: 33806546 BACKGROUND

• Rodriguez-Loureiro L, Casas L, Bauwelinck M, Lefebvre W, Vanpoucke C, Vanroelen C, Gadeyne S. Social inequalities in the associations between urban green spaces, self-perceived health and mortality in Brussels: Results from a census-based cohort study. Health Place. 2021 Jul;70:102603. doi: 10.1016/j.healthplace.2021.102603. Epub 2021 Jun 21.

  PMID: 34166885 BACKGROUND

• Miller IN, Neargarder S, Risi MM, Cronin-Golomb A. Frontal and posterior subtypes of neuropsychological deficit in Parkinson's disease. Behav Neurosci. 2013 Apr;127(2):175-183. doi: 10.1037/a0031357. Epub 2013 Feb 11.

  PMID: 23398433 BACKGROUND

• Cerin E, Barnett A, Shaw JE, Martino E, Knibbs LD, Tham R, Wheeler AJ, Anstey KJ. From urban neighbourhood environments to cognitive health: a cross-sectional analysis of the role of physical activity and sedentary behaviours. BMC Public Health. 2021 Dec 23;21(1):2320. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12375-3.

  PMID: 34949175 BACKGROUND

• Cerin E, Barnett A, Shaw JE, Martino E, Knibbs LD, Tham R, Wheeler AJ, Anstey KJ. Urban Neighbourhood Environments, Cardiometabolic Health and Cognitive Function: A National Cross-Sectional Study of Middle-Aged and Older Adults in Australia. Toxics. 2022 Jan 7;10(1):23. doi: 10.3390/toxics10010023.

  PMID: 35051065 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Parkinson Disease

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Parkinsonian Disorders; Basal Ganglia Diseases; Brain Diseases; Central Nervous System Diseases; Nervous System Diseases; Movement Disorders; Synucleinopathies; Neurodegenerative Diseases

Study Officials

• Alice Cronin-Golomb, PhD

  Boston University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: CASE ONLY
• Time Perspective: CROSS SECTIONAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director, Vision and Cognition Laboratory

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: June 26, 2024
• First Posted: July 3, 2024
• Study Start: August 12, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 31, 2025
• Study Completion: July 31, 2025
• Last Updated: September 19, 2025

Record last verified: 2024-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)