The connection between smells and emotions is found

It’s all about emotions. The sense of smell is not just smells, it is a bridge to memories, feelings, and even stress. The authors of the study decided to find out exactly how smells get their emotional coloring — from soothing to frightening.

The team started with the amygdala, a part of the brain that processes emotions. Unlike other senses, the sense of smell goes directly to him. Therefore, the smell can instantly trigger a strong reaction — anxiety, disgust, joy or comfort.

The researchers worked with mice. Surprisingly, even these tiny animals can learn to distinguish between what smells “good” and what smells “bad.”

What did the experiment show? It was possible to identify two special types of nerve cells that help the brain label a smell — pleasant or not. And what is especially unexpected: the same cell can cause both positive and negative emotions — it all depends on where exactly in the brain it transmits the signal.

Why is this important? Because the reaction to a smell is not just a matter of taste. For some people, the smell can trigger an anxiety disorder, a reminder of a difficult experience, or cause a sudden emotional reaction. This is especially true for people with post-traumatic stress, anxiety, or autism spectrum disorders.

In the future, experts hope to use this discovery to help such people. For example, it will be possible to disable an excessively strong negative reaction to a smell associated with a hospital procedure. Or vice versa — to return the pleasure of eating to those who have lost it due to illness.

As the author of the study, Professor Dan Wasson, emphasizes: “Emotions largely determine the quality of our lives. And the more we understand about how they arise, the closer we are to living a calmer and more joyful life.”