Probably you have heard of the limbic system, if you had then you should know that the amygdala is part of this system which is involved in gratification and "punishment"...it has a tendency to recollect and recall information that has significant value to it (and the brain and us).
The amygdala is as big as an almond yet it connects with the olfactory and optic functions of the brain; it also connects with the thalamus and hypothalamus. The neurotransmitters that "influence" this tiny "organ" are dopamine, serotonin, epinephrine and norepinephrine while the hormone cortisol plays its little tricks on it too.
Once we have seen how intertwined the amygdala is with other centers and parts of the brain we can understand why aromatherapy works, the aroma is collected by the nerve endings of the olfactory nerve in the nose which sends the information to the amygdala which in turn will process the information and will send it to the frontal lobe, thalamus, and hypothalamus.
The connection the amygdala has to the optic nerve sheds some light on why we humans react to colors, faces and to unknown faces, places, etc. That is why Eeva Karjalainen et al, in the study entitled Promoting human health through forests: overview and major challenges clearly stays that vegetation has beneficial effects on human's mental health and immunology... the information collected by the optic nerve is send to the amygdala which in turn sends refined, processed information to the occipital and temporal area. No surprise that depression is high on developed countries, especially cities.
Considering that stress causes an increase on cortisol levels, is not surprising to expect people suffering from depression and other mental health issues to have an enlarged amygdala that has been down regulated and now works poorly upon dopaminic, serotonergic, epinephrine and norepinephrine stimulation.
Therefore, it is time for us to stop look and smell at the roses figuratively speaking.
Emmanuel Arroyo is a new york state licensed acupuncturist and NCCAOM certified herbalist with special interests on depression, men's health, pain management and gastro-intestinal issues.
The information presented here is purely educational and you should consult your physician and copy or distribution of this information should be done by permission of Emmanuel Arroyo.
You can contact him by email dr.agujas@gmail.com and by phone 917-324-1140
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