The power of smell: Regulation of emotions and therapeutic perspectives

Activity: Talk or presentationInvited talk

Description

The sense of smell is the most primitive and one of the most important senses for most animals. Odors can modulate emotions and cognition, as well as influence psychological and physiological states. Olfactory chemical signals are transmitted to various limbic system structures such as the hippocampus, amygdala, insula, and thalamus that are involved in the regulation of emotions, cognitive events, and long-term memory, including episodic memory. The association between the olfactory system and emotions has been established showing that disruption of olfactory sensory function can affect mood, even serving as a model for depression. Cellular and molecular events such as altered monoamines, neurotrophic factors and neurogenesis are potential mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of chemical signals acting on the olfactory system. It is important to understand the relationship between altered mood and olfactory sensory function to evaluate possible options for the treatment of disorders such as depression, anxiety and stress that act through the olfactory pathway.
Period20 Sept 2022
Held atUniversidad Autonoma de Zacatecas, Mexico
Degree of RecognitionInternational

Keywords

  • Aromatherapy
  • olfactory dysfunction
  • emotions
  • Mental health
  • Olfaction