Within recent neuroscience literature, the olfactory system is implicated in more than just scent perception. The olfactory system is linked to not only to food selection and reproduction, but also largely impacting memory formation and retention. Such breakthroughs not only have impact within the field of psychology and neuroscience, but scents are utilized in the food industry, fashion industry, as well as in many other industries such as theme parks. With scent holding such provoking power, it has been linked to slow wave sleep with scents inducing memory consolidation in TMR studies (Shanahan and Gottfried, 2018). Especially for students, memory consolidation is seen as a positive experience to help yield success for the individual. However, what happens when this system is impacted, causing consolidation of painful memories for the individual? Researchers Wilkerson (2018) looked at the impact of odorants with stress consolidation in veterans with PTSD. In this blog, the role of the olfactory system will be examined in memory consolidation during sleep and in posttraumatic stress disorder.
In “Paradoxical olfactory function in combat veterans: The role of PTSD and odor factors,” Wilkerson et al. (2018) examined the role of the olfaction system in triggering PTSD and other trauma disorders. The research design included the subjects (veterans with PTSD and veterans without PTSD) to be exposed to 4 different classes of scent stimuli: trauma-relating “burning” scent (burning rubber), non-trauma-related pleasant (lavender), non-trauma-related burning (cigarette smoke), and odorless control (propylene glycol). The researchers hypothesized that specifically with burning odor stimuli, this would elicit changes in skin conductance level (SCL) and heart rate (HR) in veterans with PTSD as opposed to other trauma disorders or healthy, post deployed veterans. The researchers found that veterans with PTSD were more sensitive to the burning odor stimuli than the other groups, with significantly larger physiological responses in SCL and HR. The control group of veterans had more neutral responses to such stimuli. The researchers interpreted two possible outcomes from these findings. Either these odor sensitivities are premorbid and genetic, indicating a risk factor for PTSD induced by experiencing war, or that odor-elicited PTSD symptoms developed after the olfactory-related trauma and memory formation.
Overall, the study conducted by Wilkerson et al. (2018) reveal the consequences of a robust memory formation by olfactory stimuli. Their research reveals a need to help understand odor avoidance/numbing to cope with intensifying odor sensitivity to PTSD triggers. Interestingly enough, TMR research recorded by Shanahan and Gottfried (2018) could potential reveal more of the underlying mechanisms seen in olfactory-elicited PTSD symptoms. A theory could be the robust memories that influence PTSD in veterans can be due to the strong olfactory stimuli they are exposed to when sleeping near the battlefield. TMR could further offer the extent the olfactory system influences PTSD, and if there are any other therapeutic methods to decrease their severity.
Shanahan L & Gottfried J
(2017). Scents & reminiscence: Olfactory influences on memory consolidation
in the sleeping human brain. In N Axmacher & B Rasch (Eds.), Cognitive Neuroscience
of Memory Consolidation (pg. 335-346), Springer.
Wilkerson AK, Uhde TW, Leslie K, et
al. Paradoxical olfactory function in combat veterans: The role of PTSD and
odor factors. Mil Psychol. 2018;30(2):120-130.
doi:10.1080/08995605.2018.1425063
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