Week 2

Hello everyone, welcome back to my blog! 

This week, I got more in depth with my research. I read Effects of Olfactory Stimulation on Autobiographical Memory in Alzheimer’s Disease by Glachet et al. (2018). It examines whether smells can improve memory recall in people with Alzheimer’s disease. Since odors are strongly linked to memory and emotion in the brain, researchers tested if they could help compensate for memory deficits. Alzheimer’s patients and healthy older adults were asked to recall personal memories with and without odor cues. Results showed that, for Alzheimer’s patients, smells improved memory specificity, detail, emotional reliving, and retrieval speed. Healthy adults only recalled memories faster, with no major improvement in quality. The findings suggest that olfactory stimulation can enhance memory in Alzheimer’s patients, likely by activating brain regions tied to memory and emotion. This has clinical potential, as using scents in therapy could support memory, identity, and emotional well-being in care settings.

This article proves useful to my project because these results have important clinical implications, suggesting that incorporating smells into reminiscence therapy could be a simple and non-invasive way to support individuals with Alzheimer’s disease. 

As you might recall in my week 0 post and in my methodology, I am interested in interviewing neurologists and psychiatrists. So, this week I began drafting interview questions and with the help of Dr. Omura, also looking up people recommended to me by Dr. Omura and through Linkedin I could potentially interview. 

Next week, I aim to finish my interview questions and have them reviewed by Dr. Omura at our next meeting.

Works Cited:

Glachet, O., Gandolphe, M. C., Gallouj, K., Antoine, P., & El Haj, M. (2018). Effects of olfactory stimulation on autobiographical memory in Alzheimer’s disease. Les effets de la stimulation olfactive sur la mémoire autobiographique dans la maladie d’Alzheimer. Geriatrie et psychologie neuropsychiatrie du vieillissement, 16(3), 311–320. https://doi.org/10.1684/pnv.2018.0748