A groundbreaking study led by Dar Meshi, an associate professor at Michigan State University, has revealed how the brain’s reward system can guide urban planning to foster sustainable and livable cities. Published in Nature Cities, the research utilizes insights from neuroscience to understand the relationship between human behavior and urban environments.
Urban areas often provide better access to education, healthcare, and cultural opportunities, contributing to a higher quality of life. However, rapid urbanization introduces challenges such as inadequate green spaces, traffic noise, and social inequities, underscoring the need for sustainable development strategies. Meshi’s research taps into the emerging field of neurourbanism—the study of how urban environments influence the brain—to address these challenges.
Neurourbanism employs tools like functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore how the brain perceives and interacts with urban spaces. By measuring changes in blood oxygen levels, fMRI identifies regions of the brain active during specific tasks. For this study, researchers focused on the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), a key brain area involved in valuation and decision-making.
“Previous research has shown that the brain’s reward system, including the vmPFC, predicts various population behaviors, from food choices to stock market trends,” said Ardaman Kaur, a postdoctoral researcher at MSU and co-author of the study.
The study involved 77 U.S. participants who had never visited Lisbon, Portugal. While undergoing fMRI scans, participants viewed and rated geotagged photos of urban environments in Lisbon sourced from Flickr. The density of photos in specific areas was used as a proxy for visitation patterns.
Findings revealed that neural activity in the vmPFC could predict which urban spaces people were more likely to visit or photograph. This suggests that people gravitate toward areas that stimulate greater value-related brain activity, driven by aesthetic, cultural, or social significance.
“Individuals may be drawn to spaces not only for their visual appeal but also for their sociocultural relevance,” Meshi explained. For instance, places with historical or social importance might attract visitors even if they lack aesthetic charm.
By decoding how the brain perceives urban environments, this research offers a new approach to urban planning. Insights from neurourbanism can guide the design of cities that enhance cognitive, emotional, and physical well-being.
“The findings can inform the development of human-centric cities, tailored to how our brains interact with the environment,” Kaur said. From creating green spaces to designing transport systems, such insights can lead to urban environments that are both efficient and enriching.
As urbanization accelerates worldwide, integrating neuroscience into urban planning could redefine how cities are built and experienced. Meshi envisions a future where these findings contribute to refining infrastructure, improving mobility, and fostering overall well-being.
By prioritizing human behavior and brain science, cities of the future could become not just places to live but ecosystems that actively enhance health and happiness.
By Impact Lab
