From early signals to better quality of life – these flagship projects were funded by the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation in 2024–2025

In 2024–2025, the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation supported research with a clear societal impact – from the role of emotions in long-term bodily symptoms to how diet and lifestyle during pregnancy affect children’s development. Four researchers explore how preventive and patient-oriented research can make a difference to healthcare, family life and public health.

When heart and brain meet in real time

For a long time, brain research has been prioritised over the study of bodily functions and their interconnections, especially in psychology and psychiatry. Only in recent years, the focus has begun to shift towards a more holistic view, where the brain is seen as part of the same biological system as the rest of the body. It is, for example, widely recognised that physical activity benefits mental health and that obesity often co-occurs with depression, anxiety and cognitive impairments.

Lauri Nummenmaa, Professor at the National PET Centre, demonstrates in his research that emotions and anxiety shape the whole body, not just the brain. His team has previously mapped “body maps” of emotions, where each emotion appears as its own distinct pattern. With a new whole-body PET scanner, the group can simultaneously follow the function of the brain and central organs at the molecular level. In the research project funded by the Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation, the team studies how stress and fear shape the interaction between heart and brain, for example during stress tests and when viewing emotion-evoking film clips. The aim is a more comprehensive understanding of mental health.

Emotions as the key to treating long-term bodily symptoms

Long-term bodily symptoms such as pain and fatigue can cause significant suffering and make everyday life difficult for those affected. Associate Professor and psychologist Erland Axelsson investigates how emotions and psychological processes influence how people respond to treatment when the body signals discomfort. The research goes beyond worry and anxiety alone, seeking to understand the different ways in which psychological reactions can affect treatment outcomes.

Using exposure-based therapy, the research examines what drives improvement, and the method has already shown promising results, for example in IBS and chronic pain. The aim is to deepen the understanding of these processes and, in the long run, help ensure that patients receive better treatments for long-term bodily symptoms.

A healthy start in life begins early

Lifestyle habits during pregnancy can affect a child’s health long after birth. Kirsi Laitinen, professor of nutrition at the University of Turku, follows mothers and children over time, with a particular focus on women with overweight or obesity. In her study of 439 participants, gestational diabetes and higher maternal body fat were linked to weaker linguistic, cognitive and motor development in two-year-old children. At the same time, the research shows that a more nutritious diet with a higher proportion of unsaturated fats is associated with better language development in children.

Laitinen’s research also highlights the importance of probiotics, especially in combination with fish oil during pregnancy, in reducing the risk of overweight in children, through reduced inflammation and through the interaction between the gut and the brain. The findings suggest that a healthy diet and support for the gut microbiota during pregnancy are important for the child’s long-term well-being.

Nature as part of daily life for families with young children

Regular time spent in nature is linked to better mental and physical health in children. Research also shows that time in nature can strengthen concentration and mental health, reduce behavioural problems and support both cognitive and social development.

Associate Professor and Senior Researcher Carola Ray has studied more than 3,000 families to understand how often they spend time in nature, what barriers they face and how nature-related habits are connected to wellbeing. Her research shows that families with two adults and a more stable economic situation go out into nature more often, and that more frequent nature visits are associated with more physical activity and better sleep among children. Parents who frequently spend time in nature with their children also report a stronger sense of positive mental wellbeing.

Spending a lot of time outdoors can also mean less screen time for young children, which raises the possibility that nature visits could become an integral part of future Finnish recommendations on children’s digital media use.

The Signe and Ane Gyllenberg Foundation supports medical and related natural science research focusing on the mind’s significance for physical health, as well as on research on blood diseases. The Foundation provides funding for projects of high scientific quality that contribute to long-term benefits for society.