| Budget Amount *help |
¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
Fiscal Year 2012: ¥1,950,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥450,000)
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| Research Abstract |
It is recognized the significance of walking in the forest and scenic areas for our health including mental health, but the details are unknown. In this study, we examined the effects of walking to observe the unique plants and herb in the Norikura-dake on the emotional relaxation. On July 29 and 30, 2012, we started the observation from the top area of the Norikura-dake (Mt. Norikura), and we spent about 2 hours seeing 20-40 types of the plants and herb. All of four participants enjoyed so much, but they could not smell them at all. Actually, they satisfied to find the unique plants and to discuss about the distribution of them with other members around Mt. Norikura. Therefore, we set up the large cage with running wheel, seesaws and plastic tunnels for 8 week-old male mice for 3 hours. After mice playing those equipments, we analyzed the monoamine contents in the prefrontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus and hypothalamus. Only in the striatum of mice spent in the stimulating environment, slight increase of dopamine contents was observed compared with control mice, but other neurotransmitters and metabolites were not influenced.
Taken together, it is suggested that the walking with observing the unique plants and herb leads the participants to relax and comfortable. Appropriate exercise also helps to relaxation. Since we could not obtain the much data in only one year, one more year is needed to conclude our hypothesis.
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