Those of us who live in Charlestown tend to like the rural environs and slower pace of life here. Research shows that rural living is actually better for your mental health. A study published today in the journal Nature takes a look inside the brain to try to figure out why. People who live in rural areas had less activity in certain brain regions when they were exposed to “social stress,” and the scientists think this may lower their risk of mental illness. (Greg Miller, a reporter for the journal Science, provides a layman’s explanation of the research on Science’s online daily news site.) Both currently living in a city and having grown up in one seemed to cause changes in the way the brain handles social stress, providing yet more proof (as if we needed it!) that Charlestown is a great place to raise your kids.
- Linda Felaco
