Stress and the city: Urban decay (Nature Journal)

Scientists are testing the idea that the stress of modern city life is a breeding ground for psychosis.

"Identifying which parts of a busy city life are the most stressful is another massive challenge (see 'Stress and the city'). The common urban experience of feeling different from your neighbours because of socioeconomic status or ethnicity could be one factor, Meyer-Lindenberg thinks. If so, immigrant groups, who often experience isolation, may be processing stress in a similar way to city-dwellers."