Overnight olfactory enrichment using an odorant diffuser improves memory and modifies the uncinate fasciculus in older adults

[John_morris71]

Note: There is reference to PD . Small Trial, but some good and useful info.

frontiersin.org/articles/10...

Objective: Cognitive loss in older adults is a growing issue in our society, and there is a need to develop inexpensive, simple, effective in-home treatments. This study was conducted to explore the use of olfactory enrichment at night to improve cognitive ability in healthy older adults.

Methods: Male and female older adults (N = 43), age 60–85, were enrolled in the study and randomly assigned to an Olfactory Enriched or Control group. Individuals in the enriched group were exposed to 7 different odorants a week, one per night, for 2 h, using an odorant diffuser. Individuals in the control group had the same experience with de minimis amounts of odorant. Neuropsychological assessments and fMRI scans were administered at the beginning of the study and after 6 months.

Results: A statistically significant 226% improvement was observed in the enriched group compared to the control group on the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and improved functioning was observed in the left uncinate fasciculus, as assessed by mean diffusivity.

Conclusion: Minimal olfactory enrichment administered at night produces improvements in both cognitive and neural functioning. Thus, olfactory enrichment may provide an effective and low-effort pathway to improved brain health.

[MarionP]

Couldn't get to the article or any kind of abstract or citation, but sounds like BS

[John_morris71 in reply to MarionP]

Try again and also get your ears tested.

[MarionP in reply to John_morris71]

I believe the concept is valid and will be useful with respect to dementia and general age related decline, but not PD or tinnitus.

[John_morris71 in reply to MarionP]

Fair argument. But IMO, no harm in trying. The trial can be very easily repeated at home.

[TomandDon]

Thank you John for a very interesting article. I had no trouble accessing it. Looks like some good research and I would anticipate Proctor and Gamble will be coming out with a product based on the results of this research that they funded.

[John_morris71 in reply to TomandDon]

The names of both, the Essential Oil manufacturer and the Diffuser are mentioned. So one can easily replicate the testing parameters of the trial by buying the oils and equipment, especially if one does not like to wait for P&G to come out with the product.

[TomandDon in reply to John_morris71]

Actually my oil diffuser arrive tomorrow and we already had these essential oils, so my wife and I will be using the research from this article to give us the stimulation. Why wait until we have noticeable dementia? Again thank you John for posting this article.

[John_morris71 in reply to TomandDon]

Very nice to know that you are already into it.

I was only sharing the info - no big deal. We should all thank those who took the time and interest to conduct this study.

[TomandDon in reply to John_morris71]

Amen. The study looked good enough for me to say it was worth giving it a try.

I will see if either my wife or I notice anything after a few moths. I have noted that the study was done over 6 months

[LeharLover62]

Thanks for sharing! We’ve been playing around with aromatherapy and I’ll post some info on that shortly. From what I’m reading, theoretically the specific oils/scents used are very important as they react quite differently in the brain. Whether enough reaches the brain … not sure.

Here’s what they did in this specific study:

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. They were asked to turn on the diffuser when they went to bed, and the odorant was released into the air during the night for 2 h when they first went to sleep. They rotated through the different odorants each night.

We’re mainly trying using different oils, which were shown to likely effect alphasynuclein. (Cumin and lemongrass)

[John_morris71 in reply to LeharLover62]

Please do share your experiences.

Sharing is caring.