Essential Oil 101 (8)：The psychological and physical influence of Aroma
The sense of smell is the only one of the five senses directly linked to the limbic lobe of the brain (a group of brain structures that includes the hippocampus and amygdala located below the cerebral cortex), which is the emotional control center. Anxiety, depression, fear, anger and joy all emanate from this region. The scent of a special fragrance can evoke memories and emotions before we are even consciously aware of it. Therefore, when a scent is there, we react before we think.
The fragrance of an essential oil can directly affect everything from your emotional state to your lifespan. When a fragrance is inhaled, the airborne odor molecules travel up to the nostrils to the olfactory epithelium or the center of olfactory sensation. At the olfactory epithelium which is only about 1 square inch of the nasal cavity, olfactory receptor cells are triggered and an impulse is then sent to the olfactory bulb. Each olfactory receptor send an impulse to a particular microregion, or glomerulus, of the olfactory bulb. There are around 2,000 glomeruli in the olfactory bulb, which receive the impulses from the olfactory receptors and enable us to perceive different scents. The olfactory bulb then transmits the impulses to other parts of the brain, including the gustatory center (where the sensation of taste is perceived), the amygdala (where emotional memories are stored), and other parts of the limbic system. Because the limbic system is directly connect to those parts of the brain that control heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, memory, stress levels, and hormone balance, essential oils can therefore have profound physiological and psychological effects.
The sense of smell is the only one of the five senses directly linked to the limbic lobe of the brain (a group of brain structures that includes the hippocampus and amygdala located below the cerebral cortex), which is the emotional control center. Anxiety, depression, fear, anger and joy all emanate from this region. The scent of a special fragrance can evoke memories and emotions before we are even consciously aware of it. Therefore, when a scent is there, we react before we think. All other senses (touch, taste, hearing and sight) are routed through the thalamus, which is the switchboard for the brain, passing stimuli onto the cerebral cortex (the conscious thought center) and other parts of the brain.
The limbic lobe can also directly activate the hypothalamus which is one of the most important parts of the brain. The hypothalamus controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, fatigue, sleep and circadian cycles. It also acts as the hormonal control center and releases hormones that affects various functions of the body such as the production of growth hormone, sex hormone, thyroid hormone, and neurotransmitter such as serotonin.
Essential oils, through their fragrance and unique molecular structure, can therefore directly stimulate the limbic lobe and the hypothalamus, which is responsive to olfactory stimuli. Not only can the inhalation of essential oils be used to combat stress and emotional trauma, it can also stimulate the production of hormones from the hypothalamus such as increase of thyroid hormones (our energy hormone) and growth hormones (our youth and longevity hormone).
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Source：
Life Science Products and Publishing Essential Oils Desk References (8th Edition) Life Science Products and Publishing
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