https://scitechdaily.com/a-whiff-of-genius-simple-fragrance-method-boosts-cognitive-capacity-by-226/ * Home * About * Contact * Newsletter * Trending News * Facebook * Twitter * YouTube * Pinterest * Newsletter * RSS SciTechDaily * Biology * Chemistry * Earth * Health * Physics * Science * Space * Technology Hot Topics * September 3, 2023 | ESA's Planetary Defense Mission: Hera Asteroid Spacecraft Is Complete * September 3, 2023 | Diabetes Breakthrough: Dahlia Flower Extract Found To Stabilize Blood Sugar Levels * September 3, 2023 | Long Haul Ahead: The Prolonged Impact of Severe Long COVID * September 3, 2023 | Muon Magic: Groundbreaking Technology Enables Navigation in Places GPS Can't Reach * September 3, 2023 | Groundbreaking Probiotic Therapy Could Revolutionize Autoimmune Treatment Search for: [ ] [Search] HomeHealth News A Whiff of Genius: Simple Fragrance Method Boosts Cognitive Capacity by 226% TOPICS:Alzheimer'sCognitionMemoryNeuroscienceUC Irvine By University of California - Irvine September 3, 2023 Old Man Inhaling Scent Research found that senior citizens exposed to specific scents nightly showed a 226% memory boost. This highlights the potent link between smell and memory, presenting a potential tool against dementia. A related product is launching this fall. Sweet Smell of Success: Simple Fragrance Method Produces Major Memory Boost When a fragrance wafted through the bedrooms of older adults for two hours every night for six months, memories skyrocketed. In fact, participants in this study by neuroscientists from the University of California, Irvine (UCI), reaped a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to the control group. The researchers say the finding transforms the long-known tie between smell and memory into an easy, non-invasive technique for strengthening memory and potentially deterring dementia. The team's study was published recently in the journal Frontiers in Neuroscience. Study Details and Results The research project was conducted through the UCI Center for the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory. It involved men and women aged 60 to 85 without memory impairment. All were given a diffuser and seven cartridges, each containing a single and different natural oil. People in the enriched group received full-strength cartridges. Control group participants were given the oils in tiny amounts. Participants put a different cartridge into their diffuser each evening prior to going to bed, and it activated for two hours as they slept. People in the enriched group showed a 226% increase in cognitive performance compared to the control group, as measured by a word list test commonly used to evaluate memory. Imaging revealed better integrity in the brain pathway called the left uncinate fasciculus. This pathway, which connects the medial temporal lobe to the decision-making prefrontal cortex, becomes less robust with age. Participants also reported sleeping more soundly. The Power of Smell and Memory Scientists have long known that the loss of olfactory capacity, or ability to smell, can predict the development of nearly 70 neurological and psychiatric diseases. These include Alzheimer's and other dementias, Parkinson's, schizophrenia, and alcoholism. Evidence is emerging about a link between smell loss due to COVID and ensuing cognitive decrease. Researchers have previously found that exposing people with moderate dementia to up to 40 different odors twice a day over a period of time boosted their memories and language skills, eased depression, and improved their olfactory capacities. The UCI team decided to try turning this knowledge into an easy and non-invasive dementia-fighting tool. "The reality is that over the age of 60, the olfactory sense and cognition starts to fall off a cliff," said Michael Leon, professor of neurobiology & behavior and a CNLM fellow. "But it's not realistic to think people with cognitive impairment could open, sniff, and close 80 odorant bottles daily. This would be difficult even for those without dementia." The study's first author, project scientist Cynthia Woo, said: "That's why we reduced the number of scents to just seven, exposing participants to just one each time, rather than the multiple aromas used simultaneously in previous research projects. By making it possible for people to experience the odors while sleeping, we eliminated the need to set aside time for this during waking hours every day." The researchers say the results from their study bear out what scientists learned about the connection between smell and memory. The Unique Role of Olfactory Sense "The olfactory sense has the special privilege of being directly connected to the brain's memory circuits," said Michael Yassa, professor and James L. McGaugh Chair in the Neurobiology of Learning & Memory. The director of CNLM, he served as collaborating investigator. "All the other senses are routed first through the thalamus. Everyone has experienced how powerful aromas are in evoking recollections, even from very long ago. However, unlike with vision changes that we treat with glasses and hearing aids for hearing impairment, there has been no intervention for the loss of smell." The team would next like to study the technique's impact on people with diagnosed cognitive loss. The researchers also say they hope the finding will lead to more investigations into olfactory therapies for memory impairment. A product based on their study and designed for people to use at home is expected to come onto the market this fall. Reference: "Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults" by Cynthia C. Woo, Blake Miranda, Mithra Sathishkumar, Farideh Dehkordi-Vakil, Michael A. Yassa and Michael Leon, 24 July 2023, Frontiers in Neuroscience. DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448 The study was supported by Procter & Gamble. 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[svg] Donna Hughs | September 3, 2023 at 3:26 am | Reply This is very exciting. I'm 80, and I've definitely experienced a decrease in my memory over the last few years. It's hard to imagine a more pleasant treatment. I'm looking forward to experiencing it! 2. [svg] Janet | September 3, 2023 at 4:23 am | Reply Can anything be done if a person must use a C-PAP? Especially when that same person, decades ago, lost most of their sense of smell due to a severe sinus infection. 3. [svg] Geoffrey Bryant | September 3, 2023 at 4:29 am | Reply What are the effective substances and where can I obtain them and the diffuser? + [svg] Deb | September 3, 2023 at 5:38 am | Reply Amazon sells oils and diffusers. o [svg] Ash | September 3, 2023 at 7:20 am | Reply I think she was asking for clarification since they didn't give any particular information as to what scent work best + [svg] JS | September 3, 2023 at 7:49 am | Reply Lemon essential oil is a powerful one. 4. [svg] Janet | September 3, 2023 at 4:33 am | Reply Will try again . . . What can be done for someone who must use a C-PAP? That same person lost most of their sense of smell due to a bad sinus infection decades ago? + [svg] Thiser | September 3, 2023 at 10:38 am | Reply Few drops of ammonia in the lemon oil. o [svg] Catherine Grace | September 3, 2023 at 12:42 pm | Reply Ammonia is very toxic & exposure over time leads to throat,lung,neurological dysfunction by cellular swelling, brain edema & metabolic dysfunction. Eventually death + [svg] Catherine Grace | September 3, 2023 at 12:06 pm | Reply I have family who use C-PAPS & believe the only option is a diffuser in the day. The essential oils need to be something soothing to the person & trigger good memorories. My 88yo Mom & I use eucalyptus, peppermint or wintergreen w/ a few drops of lemon for sinus/breathing. But I would type in this request on websites of Cleveland or Mayo Clinic. Cleveland has Dr Mark Hyman now,who's written many researched books on healing w food, herbs, natural supplements & products 5. [svg] Janet | September 3, 2023 at 4:34 am | Reply What can be done for someone who must use a C-PAP? That same person lost most of their sense of smell due to a bad sinus infection decades ago. + [svg] Michael W. Clark | September 3, 2023 at 7:47 am | Reply I had the same problem with c-pap machines, and a sinus infection on one side. I stopped using the c-pap machine and learned to sleep only on my side with a ceiling fan on high, and a pillow over my head to lower the sound. A pillow between the knees helps too. The fan keeps changing the air, so the CO2 does not pool around your face. 6. [svg] Ralph DeLorso | September 3, 2023 at 4:51 am | Reply ABSOLUTELY SPOT ON HOW MANY OF US AFTER SMELLING A FRAGRENCE OR PAST SMELL WE REMEMBER IT BRINGS US BACK TO A PLEASANT THOUGHT OR. MEMORY 7. [svg] Mary Stewart | September 3, 2023 at 5:05 am | Reply Which essential oil scents are used? 8. [svg] Deb | September 3, 2023 at 5:40 am | Reply Researching more to find actual strength of oil used. Diffusers and essential oils available on Amazon. Please share strengths used. 9. [svg] Tom | September 3, 2023 at 5:41 am | Reply Just be careful if you have pets! Most cats, as I understand it, have very bad reactions to most oil diffusers. 10. [svg] Lynne | September 3, 2023 at 5:49 am | Reply How do we find this scent? My husband has moderate dementia at 74 and is being treated with oral meds. I am 71 and realize my memory isn't quite as good as it was a decade ago. I have multiple diffusers waiting! 11. [svg] Wes Sawkins | September 3, 2023 at 6:10 am | Reply Individuals assigned to the olfactory enrichment group were provided with an odorant diffuser (Diffuser World) and 7 essential oil odorants (rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender; from The Essential Oil Company, Portland, OR) in identical glass vials that each fit into the diffuser. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fnins.2023.1200448 12. [svg] Diane | September 3, 2023 at 6:38 am | Reply Was it all 7 essential oils put into diffuser? Or one of them that boosts memory? 13. [svg] Fight Club Meets in the Basement | September 3, 2023 at 6:46 am | Reply There was no breakdown showing which, if any, oil was better for memory than the others? If they were all equal, then it's the olfactory sensing itself producing the effect. 14. [svg] Cadmon Edmundsen | September 3, 2023 at 6:53 am | Reply The Proctor and Gamble-funded study (N=23 healthy Irvine, CA residents, ages 60-85, average of 16 years of education, with 11 of the 23 as controls) provided "an odorant diffuser (Diffuser World) and 7 essential oil odorants (rose, orange, eucalyptus, lemon, peppermint, rosemary, and lavender; from The Essential Oil Company, Portland, OR) .... Participants were instructed to change the odorant bottle daily before they went to bed, and they continued this regimen at home for 6 months." Only one of eight outcomes for the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test was statistically significant. 15. [svg] Larry | September 3, 2023 at 7:27 am | Reply Nice to here the news, but the article not complete because it doesn't supply information on diffuser or scents and fragrances used. 16. [svg] Michael W. Clark | September 3, 2023 at 7:56 am | Reply I suspect that dementia is relate to retirement, and isolation from new stimulus related to interacting with others. My wife retired before me, and I notice her ability to talk, make decisions, and stay focused on tasks has diminished significantly. Retirement is a death sentence, just a slow one. 17. [svg] Laura | September 3, 2023 at 7:59 am | Reply How about the scent of Sweet Caporal or rain...these have brought back powerful pleasant memories. I can not say any of the 'study' scents do I recall having returned memories to me. 18. [svg] Cindy Hicks | September 3, 2023 at 8:04 am | Reply Which particular oil was used? 19. [svg] Susan | September 3, 2023 at 9:22 am | Reply Given this study was sponsored by P&G this will result in product development from the company. I believe they even mentioned a release is scheduled for the fall. 20. [svg] Chuck | September 3, 2023 at 10:26 am | Reply more info is needed what scent,brand,how to purchase and more proof of trails. 21. [svg] Thomas | September 3, 2023 at 10:29 am | Reply A smelly story for sure 22. [svg] Vicki Lamb | September 3, 2023 at 11:09 am | Reply If only one of 8 outcomes for the Rey test was significant, does this mean that the results were only 12 1/2% successful? 23. [svg] AgentOG | September 3, 2023 at 11:30 am | Reply Had the OG Covid in 2020 and had loss of smell and taste for 3 months. In March of 2022 I made a sleepy mistake and used white vinegar in my nasal irrigator. The ER had me sit for 2.5 hours while snotting everywhere. I still don't have my smell back from that. I've tried Peppermint, Tea Tree and Eucalyptus oils. Nothing. Any suggestions? + [svg] Night Rider | September 3, 2023 at 2:48 pm | Reply Anosmia often results from a Zinc deficiency. Most people are already deficient in zinc, and Covid also depletes your zinc levels even more. Try taking 15-25 mg of zinc supplement every day for a month. I'd be surprised if your sense of smell doesn't return. 24. [svg] Concern Citizen | September 3, 2023 at 12:24 pm | Reply What is up with the creepy AI photo up top? 25. [svg] Plezena | September 3, 2023 at 12:58 pm | Reply I would like to know where to purchase the diffuser with the oils. My friend is in beginning stages of Alzheimer's. 26. [svg] Clyde Spencer | September 3, 2023 at 1:03 pm | Reply There is an old saying that "If something sounds too good to be true, then it probably isn't true." Who among us wouldn't want to have an improved memory at any age? We are therefore inclined to believe a quick and easy solution. However, there are many questions left unanswered. Humans can become habituated to bad odors and no longer smell them. Is that why they rotated the different essential oils? Might it be that only one or two odors are effective? Did they look for that? They only used 7 oils. What about the other 60? Or ones that they didn't try? It has long been known that smells associated with strong emotional experiences will infuse a sense of well being. However, that isn't the same as being able to remember a forgotten computer password, of the name of someone you haven't seen in a long time who isn't associated with a particular smell. This doesn't quite pass the smell test. 27. [svg] oldbt | September 3, 2023 at 1:15 pm | Reply what happens if you dont have sense of smell due to nasal allergies? 28. [svg] Dano S. | September 3, 2023 at 1:31 pm | Reply This article does little to inform, but is high in hype. I would expect this type of writing from Weekly World News or a similar bird cage liner. Leave a comment Cancel reply Email address is optional. If provided, your email will not be published or shared. Comment [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] Name [ ] Email [ ] [ ]Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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