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KMID : 1100220060050020037
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Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
2006 Volume.5 No. 2 p.37 ~ p.42
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Influence of Aroma on Cognitive Function in Normal Subjects
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Baek Min-Jae
Moon Bong-Ki
Ryu Hui-Jin
Lee Jung-Seok
Kim Sang-Yun
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Abstract
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Background: It is well known that odors can induce positive and negative affects, which can modulate cognition, mood, behavior, and cerebral activity on electrophysiological recording or neuroimagery. There is, however, little experimental evidence concerning the effectiveness of odors on general cognitive function. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether general cognitive function would be enhanced when people were exposed to odor stimulation.
Methods: Twenty-four undergraduates who had no prior neurological, psychiatric, or otorhinolaryngological disorders were randomly assigned to two groups. Twelve subjects were assigned to the experimental group (odors present on examination), and the other twelve were assigned to the no-odor control group. The odorant used in this experiment was rosemary oil and was delivered into the atmosphere of the laboratory by an aroma disk diffuser. Cognitive function was assessed by neuropsychological tests (attention, visual and verbal memory, and frontal lobe function).
Results: The subjects in the experimental group recalled more lists of words in the verbal free recall test and alternated more rapidly when required to shift from category to category in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test than the subjects in the control group.
Conclusions: Odor stimulation can enhance memory processing in normal subjects. Further investigation is needed to aid the discovery of the mechanism of the effectiveness of odor, and how odor stimulation influences patients with dementia.
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KEYWORD
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Odor stimulation, Rosemary oil, Neuropsychological assessment
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