The Smell of....Better Cognitive Ability?

As it turns out there may be some effect that smells can have on the brain, but more specifically the scent of natural oils. In a recent study published by a group of researchers at the University of California, neuroscientists saw up to a 226% increase in cognitive capacity compared to a control group. What was the difference? The presence of natural oil scents as they slept.

The study enrolled 43 men and women between the ages of 60 and 85 with no existing diagnoses of cognitive impairment nor dementia. The test subjects were broken into two groups: one exposed to 2 hours of an odorant diffuser and a control group that was not. The exposure happened at night and the smell, while not explicitly stated, was described as a rotation between seven "pleasant scents". In order to determine functionality of the brain, fMRIs were administered at the beginning of the study and after 6 months. The link between smell and memory, while it exists, has not been extensively studied. Per the results of the study a more than 100% improvement was observed in the enriched group (exposed to the scents) when compared to the control group. This was tested both via the fMRIs and via the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test.

Maybe this study will be the first step in the direction of non-invasive treatments for memory related disease. In 2019, 1.8 million people who died had a dementia diagnosis. It can't be said that every single diagnosis was the direct cause of death, but it has been observed that in women, dementia in the first three diagnoses is a leading cause of death. It is important to note that the first three diagnoses tend to be the most important for billing purposes. There are not a lot of non-invasive treatment options to help with disorders involving the mind, either. Usual options are going to be surgery, some sort of medication, or semi-traumatic therapy (like electro-shock). A non-invasive option that would be easy for a family member or care giver to provide would absolutely be a game changer for people with decreased cognitive function and their families.

We will be watching this as it develops!

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