The science of aromatherapy

We now know that the highly sensitive olfactory cells located in the olfactory epithelium are connected directly to the brain via the hypothalamus, and that the information transmitted is stored long-term in the brain’s control centres. As early as 2004, the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine was awarded for research in this field (Linda Bach and Richard Axel). In their published findings, the authors described 1,000 olfactory genes (receptors) scattered throughout the genome. Each functional neuroreceptor is capable of detecting a certain number of odours.

It is estimated that a person is capable of remembering up to 10,000 different scents and odours. 

The study by American scientists triggered further extensive research, and today we know, for example, that an unborn child can perceive odours as early as the first trimester. We also know how the brain recognises and stores smells. We understand how psychoactive smells evoke specific experiences or memories. It is also interesting to note that certain smells cause the brain to work harder, even more so than some mathematical problems.

Up to 75 per cent of the emotions we experience can be influenced by scent. The likelihood of remembering an experience is 100 times greater when accompanied by a scent than when accompanied by touch or sound.

New findings are paving the way for fundamental research into the treatment of certain diseases, particularly in the area of cognitive function relating to dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The rise in the incidence of these diseases amongst an ageing population is a cause for concern for all governments and health insurance providers, and causes undue suffering for those affected and their families. Indeed, the loss or decline in the ability to perceive odours may be one of the first symptoms of early-stage Alzheimer’s disease. Naturally, all this research also offers wide-ranging applications in many fields, such as pharmacology, medicine, psychology, aesthetics and perfumery. 

The food industry capitalises on the fact that up to 80 per cent of the taste sensation is made up of smell, the receptors for which are also located in the oral cavity. Research findings are also applied significantly in the wellness sector, influencing marketing and other areas.

Today, scents are used as part of branding, where their role is to differentiate a brand and ensure that customers associate the company with it, remember the brand, grow fond of it and return to it.

Aromatherapy

All the findings of modern studies on the sense of smell and scents go beyond the historical experience of aromatherapy, which has been known to humankind for more than 5,000 years. Essential oils derived from plants are still used today to improve mental well-being, promote relaxation and support the healing process and treatment of certain conditions.

Aromatherapy combines successfully with the effects of hydrotherapy to enhance the relaxing and restorative effects of a bath. This is one reason why essences specially formulated for use in whirlpool baths are so popular. They are formulated so as not to disrupt the chemical balance of the water and offer a wide range of scents for all sorts of occasions. And which ones can help with what?

• headache (chamomile, lavender, rosemary, citrus)
• fatigue and exhaustion (jasmine, mint)
• digestive problems (ginger, mandarin)
• anxiety and depression (bergamot, jasmine, lavender)
• bronchitis and a runny nose (eucalyptus)
• stress (sandalwood, green tea, sage)