S09 - Session P5 - A study on the impact of herbs on emotion and brain responses

Authors: Yu Wen Wang *, Chun-Yen Chang

A great amount of research suggested that contact with plants has positive benefits. Herbs are becoming more popular in Taiwan recently, which is often used in therapeutic gardens whether in hospitals or leisure farms. The efficiency of herbs not only has visual benefits but also has beneficial effects on aromatic odor. Besides, a human's perception of smells could be fostered by past experiences and influence on one's emotions. Studies have confirmed that the odors of herbs can reduce anxiety and provide relaxation (Sayorwan, 2012). It can also affect sedative activity (Buchbauer et al., 1991) and trigger positive emotion (Warrenburg, 2005). Moreover, different concentrations of olfaction caused different brain responses (Chandharakool et al., 2020). While the link between emotion and brain area responses of the herb is still unclear. There was no strict control over the environment in which the aroma was applied. In addition, the concentration of the aroma is not quantified, and the amount of aroma smelled by each subject is also different. Therefore, this study aims to review the literature about the effects of different herb aromas on the subjects' brain activation responses and emotions. The keywords "olfaction," "herb odors," "emotion," and "brain response" were searched on Google Scholar, then screen the related studies on the effects of herb odors on mood and brain area responses, comparing and discussing them respectively. Finally, our study discovers the relationship between olfaction, emotion, and brain activations. By comparing the difference between the research methods and results, we find out a solution to control the aroma carefully during the experiment and provide recommendations for future research.