Aromatherapy - How it Works
People respond to the sense of smell on an
emotional level more strongly than any other sense. For example, a
single aroma can trigger a whole string of forgotten memories. The
area of the brain associated with smell is the same area as that
associated with memory. The olfactory nerves are located within the
nasal cavity. They respond to a particular aroma and send the
information to the part of the brain where memory and emotions lie.
This area connects with another part of the brain (hypothalamus and
pituitary gland) which governs our hormonal systems. In addition,
the oils chemistry affects the body physically and can calm,
refresh, relax, or stimulate.
Scientific Glance
The olfactory epithelium lies
within the nasal cavity. The nerve endings are sensitive to
molecules floating about in the air that get stuck on the mucous
surface. The contact of such molecules with the cilia of the
olfactory receptors is transduced into neural messages (see diagram below).
There is little understanding of how transduction
occurs and how various molecules are transduced differently. Most
believe that the physical structure (shape) of a molecule plays a
deciding role. It appears that the relevant sensory code for
olfactory quality is probably a pattern of excitation across
different receptor groups.
Olfaction tells us how our food tastes. It is also used in
identification (e.g., mother can identify her infant by smell alone
almost immediately after birth). Olfaction is
also used in signaling across distances (e.g. pheromones from
female moths attract male moths).
web parts in sharepoint
The common cold (too much mucous), viral infection of olfactory
epithelium, and a cracked cribriform plate caused by an accident are
the most common ways that people lose their sense of smell.
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