YOUR NOSE IS THE KEY TO YOUR BRAIN

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YOUR NOSE IS THE KEY TO YOUR BRAIN -

Digital illustration of a human head in profile with a transparent view of the brain glowing with colorful lights.

A simple way to promote brain health, backed by 50+ studies

  • Our sense of smell has direct connections to the memory & learning parts of the brain.

  • Neuroplasticity is the brain's remarkable ability to reorganize & form new neural connections.

  • Studies show loss of smell is an early sign of cognitive decline, whereas training our sense of smell can have the opposite effect.

  • Through active smelling we strengthen brain areas associated with memory and mood.

What is Olfactory Training (OT)?

  • A scientifically-endorsed practice involving the daily intentional smelling of scents.

  • A simple and safe practice accessible to all.

  • OT strengthens and grows parts of the brain associated with memory and cognition, and helps restore lost sense of smell.

  • Shown to elevate mood and well-being.

The Science

Your sense of smell is a Super Highway going directly to the memory parts of your brain.

Diagram of human nasal anatomy with a network of connected dots and lines overlaid.

Science has discovered that Olfactory Training:

  • Increases grey matter volume (literally grows your brain!) in critical regions (Al Ain et al, 2019; Rezaeyan et al, 2022)

  • Decreases depression, specifically in aging populations (Birte-Antina et al, 2018; Sabaniewicz et al, 2022)

  • Enhances mood in general (Chen & Chen, 2015; Doty, 2019)

  • Helps people with dementia remember words faster (Cha et al, 2021)

  • Positively impacts cognitive function (Johnson, 2011)

  • Improves cognition, brain connectivity, and brain health (Leon & Woo, 2018)

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The Studies

  • After just 12 weeks of the 4-scent protocol, participants showed measurable increases in grey matter volume in the hippocampus, thalamus, and cerebellum.

    Reference: Gellrich, J., et al. (2018). Brain volume changes in hyposmic patients before and after olfactory training. Laryngoscope, 128(7), 1531-1536.

  • In a head-to-head 5-month comparison, the 4-scent protocol significantly improved short-term memory, verbal fluency, well-being, and depression symptoms in healthy older adults, while daily Sudoku puzzles produced no cognitive improvements whatsoever.

    Reference: Birte-Antina, W., et al. (2018). Olfactory training with older people. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, 33(1), 212-220.

  • The first prevention study found that healthy older adults practicing olfactory training showed improved MoCA cognitive scores while the control group experienced expected age-related decline, with OT groups protected from worsening dementia screening scores.

    Reference: Oleszkiewicz, A., et al. (2021). Olfactory training with Aromastics. Behavioral Neuroscience, 135(3), 330-344. PMID: 34110862

  • Olfactory training with the 4-scent protocol for just 16 weeks produced an 11-13% bilateral increase in olfactory bulb volume, with growth occurring in both the trained and untrained nostrils, demonstrating that top-down cognitive processes drive structural brain changes.

    Reference: Negoias, S., et al. (2017). Long-term effects of olfactory training in patients with post-infectious olfactory loss. Rhinology, 55(4), 311-316.

  • After 6-9 months (average 7 months) of the 4-scent protocol, participants showed bilateral grey matter volume increases across cerebellum, thalamus, and multiple cognitive control regions including the medial orbitofrontal cortex.

    Reference: Han, P., et al. (2021). Olfactory brain gray matter volume changes in patients with idiopathic olfactory loss. Chemical Senses, 46, bjab025.

  • In dementia patients, 12 weeks of olfactory training significantly improved cognitive function and reduced brain damage markers(plasma Tau), with 89% of participants maintaining or improving their cognition compared to just 56% who did nothing.

    Reference: Lin, L. J., & Li, K. Y. (2022). Olfactory-Based Sensory Stimulation and Alzheimer Disease-Related Biomarkers in Dementia. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 1003325.c

A woman with blonde hair, glasses, and a striped sweater holding a scent near her nose.

What Can I Do to Improve my Memory?

Start doing Olfactory Training today, and bring better brain health into your life. It's easy!

  • Practice OT twice a day, every day, ideally making it a new lifestyle habit.

  • Use at least 4 different scents.

  • With each scent, engage fully in the act of smelling for at least 10 seconds.

Practice every day, and do one of the best things you can for your brain!

Who’s it for?

  • An older woman with gray hair and a wide-brimmed straw hat smiling while riding a bicycle with a basket of flowers in a lush green outdoor setting.

    Anyone who wants to improve their memory.

  • Family shopping in a grocery store, the man and woman looking at bread and the young boy selecting bread from the shelves.

    Anyone who has lost their sense of smell.

  • A young woman helps an elderly woman with baked pastries in a bright kitchen.

    Anyone taking proactive steps for their brain health.