One of the reasons why I have been so fascinated by the sense of smell is the power to transport us back in time, having a specific event flashes right in front of me only from one whiff of a scent.
In this article by Scientific American, they scientifically explain how smells are strongly associated with important memories, like fresh-baked cookies and Christmas.
Read the full article: It’s Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas: The Neuroscience of Our Nostalgia
Merry Christmas!
In this article by Scientific American, they scientifically explain how smells are strongly associated with important memories, like fresh-baked cookies and Christmas.
By looking at the structure of the brain, researchers have found that olfactory (smell) information takes a different path through the brain than input from the other senses. Most sensory information has to first go through a region called the thalamus before being interpreted by the other specialized parts of the brain. The thalamus receives input from many sources and then directs it to the right part of the brain. Scientists often consider this the step when a person becomes consciously aware of something.
When it comes to smells, the olfactory information actually passes through the olfactory memory and processing parts of the brain first. That means that we are actually processing the content and memory of a smell before we are consciously figuring out what that smell is.
This smell center of the brain, the olfactory cortex, is also strongly connected with two other areas of the brain: the limbic system and the amygdala. Both of these areas play strong roles in the emotional components of how memories are created and retrieved.
Read the full article: It’s Beginning to Smell a Lot Like Christmas: The Neuroscience of Our Nostalgia
Merry Christmas!
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