Impact of Tourism-Induced Urbanization on Adolescent Mental Health and Epigenetic Pathways to Depression

Abstract

Tourism-induced urbanization (TIU) is increasingly reshaping cities and the lived environments of adolescents, creating unique psychosocial stressors that may contribute to depression and anxiety. Rapid urban expansion, high tourist inflows, and altered social and physical infrastructures disrupt daily routines, sleep-wake patterns, social ties, and lifestyle behaviors, compounding vulnerabilities in adolescents aged 10–19 years. Emerging evidence indicates that these environmental stressors interact with biological systems via epigenetic modifications, including DNA methylation and histone modifications, particularly in pathways involving the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, neurotrophin signaling (BDNF), and inflammatory cascades (TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6). Such mechanisms provide a molecular link between urbanization-related environmental exposures and the onset or exacerbation of depressive disorders in youth. Understanding how tourism-driven urban growth shapes adolescent mental health through epigenetic pathways underscores the importance of integrated urban planning, social support, and protective interventions to mitigate psychological harm.