Effects of incense on brain function: evaluation using electroencephalograms and event-related potentials

Area of Science:

• Neuroscience
• Olfactory research
• Cognitive psychology

Background:

• The olfactory system significantly influences brain function and behavior.
• Incense, widely used in various cultures, has potential psychoactive properties.
• Understanding the neurological effects of specific odors like incense is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of incense odor on brain activity using electroencephalography (EEG) and event-related potentials (ERPs).
• To assess changes in cortical activity and inhibitory processing during incense exposure.
• To compare the effects of incense odor with rose oil and odorless air.

Main Methods:

• 10 healthy adults underwent EEG and ERP recordings during a push/wait paradigm.
• EEG power spectra were analyzed before and during odor presentation.
• ERPs were recorded during and after exposure to incense, rose oil, and odorless air.
• A push/wait task involved responding to 'push' (go) and ignoring 'wait' (no-go) stimuli.

Main Results:

• Incense odor significantly increased fast alpha activity (10-13 Hz) in bilateral posterior brain regions compared to rose oil.
• Peak amplitudes of the no-go P3 component at Fz and Cz were significantly higher during incense inhalation.
• No significant changes were observed in the latencies of go P3 and no-go P3, or in the amplitude and latencies of no-go N2 across conditions.

Conclusions:

• Incense odor appears to enhance overall cortical activity.
• The findings suggest an improvement in the brain's inhibitory processing of motor responses.
• Odor-induced modulation of cognitive functions, particularly attention and inhibition, warrants further investigation.