New research from the University of California suggests that sniffing essential oils like lavender and citrus can help boost memory and cognitive function. It was a tiny study and it’s hard to draw any useful conclusions about the benefits of aromatherapy, but it reminds me that the ability to smell can be a guide to the wellbeing of our brains. Indeed a poor sense of smell can often be the first sign of neurodegenerative conditions such as Parkinson’s disease and dementia, developing before more classic symptoms like tremor or memory loss.
Some loss of sense of smell is common with advancing age, and seems to affect women more than men. Exact figures are hard to come by as many cases go unreported but it
© Times Media Limited 2023.
Registered in England No. 894646. Registered office: 1 London Bridge Street, SE1 9GF.