UDC

612.867.8:57.04

DOI

10.37482/2687-1491-Z268

Authors

Olga V. Kaldinova* ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0008-4756-8214
Aleksey N. Doletsky* ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6191-3901
*Volgograd State Medical University (Volgograd, Russia)

Corresponding author: Olga Kaldinova, address: pl. Pavshikh Bortsov 1, Volgograd, 400131, Russia; e-mail: o.kaldinova@yandex.ru

Abstract

Aromatherapy is the use of volatile components of essential oils and plant phytoncides for physical and psychological recovery. This method is popular due to the availability and simple use of essential oils. Over the past 15 years, there has been an increase in the number of studies on aromatherapy. However, the mechanism of action of essential oils on the human body has not been fully investigated. Significant problems are the lack of a unified research protocol, aromatherapy procedure and survey methods for assessing the subjective experience of emotions, as well as the variety of essential oils. Among the factors that make it difficult to analyse the effects of aromatherapy, are the application of subjective techniques and the use of objective assessment methods with low sensitivity to influence. All this does not allow us to create a unified description of the effects of aromatherapy. This review analysed publications on the effectiveness of aromatherapy as a method of non-drug influence on the emotional state and cognitive functions in humans, over a period of more than 30 years. Results of studies examining the effects of aromatherapy on the bioelectric activity of the brain are presented. According to various researchers, one and the same essential oil can have opposite effects, while the lack of control groups in most studies makes it difficult to interpret the results. The analysis demonstrated the need to develop a unified aromatherapy methodology and further investigate the effects of essential oils on the cognitive functions and emotional state in humans. Additional factors requiring researchers’ attention are sex-related differences in sensitivity to odours, uni- or binasal inhalation, dependence on the phase of the ovarian/menstrual cycle, and effect of individual experience on the emotional perception of odours.

Keywords

aromatherapy, sense of smell, psycho-emotional state, essential oil, physiological indicators, cognitive tests, bioelectric activity

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