Leafier streets, brighter children

GROWING up in leafier towns and cities can boost children’s brain power, says a study.

These youngsters have more neurons in the area linked to spatial working memory than those in a concrete jungle.

These cells aid concentration and focus so are strongly related to academic achievement in children, particularly maths, said researchers.

They looked at 4,758 pupils aged 11 living in urban areas across England and found those in places with less green space were likely to have worse spatial working memory.

This link was not influenced by the wealth or deprivation of an area, said the study by University College London.

Professor Eirini Flouri told the British Journal of Educational Psychology: ‘Our findings suggest a positive role of green space in cognitive functioning.’