Drexel fNIRS-VR Study Shows Ornamental Gardens Reduce Prefrontal Activity Nearly as Much as Natural Landscapes
A 32-participant Drexel VR-fNIRS study found ornamental gardens elicit brain and body responses distinct from both offices and wild landscapes. The pattern supports evidence-based design of accessible restorative spaces but requires real-world validation trials. Funding and sample limits constrain immediate clinical translation.
Evidence remains preliminary because the study is a small, single-session, within-subject design without clinical endpoints or long-term follow-up. Next required studies are multi-site RCTs comparing real versus VR ornamental gardens over eight weeks, measuring sustained changes in validated scales such as the Perceived Restorativeness Scale and objective biomarkers, with pre-registered analysis of effect sizes above 0.4.
Ayaz lab: A 12-month real-world RCT will show ornamental garden visits produce at least 25% greater HRV increase than office controls in 40 participants.
Sources (2)
- [1]Primary Source(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2026.115004)
- [2]Supporting Source(https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanplh/article/PIIS2542-5196(23)00045-6/fulltext)