Scientists Report Brain Changes from Aromatherapy

Read More About Science

Aromatherapy usually conjures up pleasant smelling day spa treatments, or some frivolous aromatic application. While it's been the case for some time that researchers have been investigating many medical uses of essential oils: anti-viral, anticancer etc, there are very few studies that look at the effects of inhaling essential oils. There's a few showing lowered aggression and stress in mice, and almost nothing with humans.

So this study IS actually about aroma therapy the way many people understand it, getting into the brain to check out what's going on. It is widely known that our olfactory sense is the only one of the five senses that is directly wired to the brain. In fact, some of the receptors in the olfactory bulb are actually brain cells. Other senses have their signals travel along neurons first, and do not affect us so immediately. The olfactory bulb is thought to be an extension of the limbic system, the center of our emotions, motivation and memory, and has little or nothing to do with conscious thought or will.

Scientists in Italy have elucidated the way bergamot oil lowers stress-induced anxiety and affects mild depression. They go on to note that there is firing of brain cells in such a way that the essential oil "is able to interfere with normal synaptic plasticity". This process occurs in the area of long-term memory formation. That means that it interferes with the process of making a neural connection stronger when repeatedly expose to stress.

For example, think about feeling a familiar stress over and over. It doesn't get easier to take, in-fact that stress becomes unbearable (this is different than a good stress, like exercise). That's because the neural-pathway has been made stronger and stronger, so the same stress seems more intense. Bergamot essential oil makes it so that strengthening of the pathway doesn't occur, or is lessened anyway.

Bergamot essential oil is used for it's anti-stress effects, as well as it's ability to lessen the perceived intensity of pain. And the researchers note that because the mechanism is understood, bergamot it should be used in complementary medicine, alongside conventional medical techniques.

Which really leads to much bigger implications for aromatherapy. Many oils are used aromatically for various purposes: stress reduction, relaxation, mental stimulation and the like. These oils certainly have similar types of things going on, altering something going on in the brain. Several essential oils have been shown to prevent the breakdown of acetylcholine in the laboratory, something that's more than likely going on in our brains as well.

It seems a relatively simple leap to validate much of what aromatherapy is, with all the research that's currently available. The body of research showing antibacterial effects is huge, that showing antiviral effects a little less so, but certainly strong, and the body showing anticancer effects is growing. When taken together, these data sets really do show there's something important to be had in essential oils. Most of the "hard facts" research: "does the oil destroy the microbe", is positive...you'll rarely see a antimicrobial study that did not validate the efficacy of essential oils. Seems like awareness and acceptance of aromatherapy is on the rise!

Article Source: http://depositarticles.com/

Many oils have profound health benefits, such as lemongrass essential oil and other pure organic oils.

Please Rate this Article

Not yet Rated

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Science Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Science

Our other websites
All about SEO
Beauty Tips Forum

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

Submit Articles
Member Login
Link Us
Submission Guidelines
Ezine Notifications
Article RSS Feeds
Sitemap

New Stuff
About Us
Developer
Good shopping portal
Link to Us
Contact Us
Privacy Policy
Terms of Service