Why scents are being used to treat dementia and depression

Smelling a familiar scent can help depressed individuals recall specific autobiographical memories and potentially assist in their recovery, discovered a team of University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine researchers and UPMC social workers in a study published in JAMA Network Open.

A landmark study revealed that familiar smells can help improve mood in people suffering from depression. For more on this.

"If we improve memory, we can improve problem-solving, emotion regulation and other functional problems that depressed individuals often experience.”

Here’s another article on this study.

Kymberly Young et al, Recall of Autobiographical Memories Following Odor vs Verbal Cues Among Adults With Major Depressive Disorder, JAMA Network Open (2024). DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.55958

Journal information: JAMA Network Open