SHABIHA NUR KHATOON, OP
A scent is more than just perfume: it can trigger memories, influence moods and even help with sleep
The sense of smell is the most powerful trigger of emotions and memories. Fragrances have a strong influence in our lives and in the way we interpret the world from a young age. In fact, scents have been part of civilisation for thousands of years. Roman writer and naturalist Pliny the Elder famously described perfumes as “the most superfluous of all forms of luxury; for pearls and jewels do nevertheless pass to the wearer’s heir, and clothes last for some time, but ingredients lose their scent at once and die in the very hour when they are used.” Renaissance Europeans carried around balls of scent called pomanders, stuffed with resins, musk and ambergris, to hold next to their faces in noxious situations or to perfume their clothes. In 2009, researchers attempted to recreate a scent from ancient Egypt using the analysis of the remains of a perfume
bottle.
Scent is, however, more than just about perfumes. It can influence how we view food, how we understand memory, how we learn about poisonous or dangerous substances, and illuminate the ways in which sensory information is processed in the brain.
A 2011 study found that if people were introduced to a new smell (pleasant or unpleasant) during a gambling task, they did significantly worse than those people who had no such aroma “interruption.” And scents have been shown to be able to manipulate our moods as well as impressions of others even if they arenot obviously detectable in the environment.
What is the science behind the attraction of a scent? Sunday POST spoke to a few neuroscientists who explained the reasons why we react in a particular way to a scent.
Dr.Antaryami Nanda, neurologist atApollo Hospital, says scents are basically made up of specific molecules that we sense through receptors in our nose.
“The smells are processed in the olfactory region of the brain which is connected to other regions of the brain, such as those involved in emotion (amygdala), memory (hippocampus) and multisensory regions (the orbitofrontal cortex). In effect, through its connections, the olfactory system forms a kind of ‘super-highway’ to memories or emotions. Odour messages are interpreted by different parts of the brain to evoke a response in the form of thoughts, feelings and actions. The meaning of scent signals can also be influenced by the context in which we experience them.
“Influencing the way in which people experience a perfume through colours, presentation or context is nothing new. Fragrances arenot only a statement about the brands we use, but are part of our sensory management. As we become more knowledgeable, there is a trend towards fragrances that ‘do more’ and offer an extra boost. This is being led by the wellness field, a domain that continues to grow,” he adds.
Dr. Nanda explains that fragrances may be used to optimiseone’s lifestyle: they can be designed for relaxing, mood uplifting, reducingstress, or helping with sleep. “These are small things, but they improve quality of life. Our in-house team of neuroscientists works with fragrance development teams during the creative process to build in such benefits. We can boost the technical properties of fragrance, how it functions, performs and lasts, and we are also exploring how it could impact or improve people’s emotional state and well-being.”
Explaining the science of scents, Dr M K Jain, an expert in wellness psychology and international NLP coach, says that there are two theories: the first is physiological, which is about the physical and chemical properties, and the other is psychological relating to the psychological aspect that is brain or mind. Fragrances of all kinds play an important role in our lives and the way we interpret the world.
Dr Jain says, “The olfactory system processes smells, which affect our mood and behaviour. When a fragrance is sprayed on the body,itconnects to several types of neurotransmitters and hormones and affects emotions and behaviour.
“The impact of scent can be experienced by comparing it to a caffeinated drink where ittakes 15-20 minutes for the chemical to enter our body and influence our behavior, while with a fragrance the effect is immediate because itenters the body through air,” he adds.
Jain also talks about the relationship between scents and memory. “Scents and memory have close links. Long-term memories, short-term memories, and lost memories can be generated from a particular fragrance. Different types of smells can trigger different memories. Hippocampus is a neurotransmitter which belongs to the limbic system, which regulates our memory.”
Jain also explains that there are several types of oils, flowers, citrus extract and so on that generate certain types of smell which affect the amygdala and hippocampus.
“Scents play a very important role in influencing our personality. Whether it is our health, negative emotions like anxiety, stress and fear or positive emotions like happiness, joy or excitement, theyare all strongly affected by scents. It is not an exaggeration to say that smell is an integral part of our personality,” he says.
