Smell-Based Memory Training: Evidence of Olfactory Learning and Transfer to the Visual Domain

Abstract

<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:p>Human and non-human animal research converge to suggest that the sense of smell, olfaction, has a high level of plasticity and is intimately associated with visual-spatial orientation and memory encoding networks. We investigated whether olfactory memory training would lead to transfer to an untrained visual memory task, as well as untrained olfactory tasks. We devised a memory intervention to compare transfer effects generated by olfactory and non-olfactory (visual) memory training. Adult participants were randomly assigned to daily memory training for about 40 days with either olfactory or visual tasks, that had a similar difficulty level. Results showed that while visual training did not produce transfer to the olfactory memory task, olfactory training produced transfer to the untrained visual memory task. Olfactory training also improved participants’ performance on odor discrimination and naming tasks, such that they reached the same performance level as a high-performing group of wine professionals. Our results indicate that the olfactory system is highly responsive to training, and we speculate that the sense of smell may facilitate transfer of learning to other sensory domains. Further research is however needed in order to replicate and extend our findings.</jats:p>

Olfactory training with Aromastics: olfactory and cognitive effects

“…This finding concurs former reports showing beneficial effects of OT on verbal function in older people (along with elevated well-being and olfactory performance) [ 38 ]. This cross-modal transfer of OT effects from olfaction to cognition also corroborates the initial reports on the olfactory-visual memory transfer as a result of OT [ 39 ]. Interestingly, although we did not observe significant effects of OT on cognitive function, other studies do suggest the relationship between olfactory perception and MoCA score [ 38 ].…”

A method for computerized olfactory assessment and training outside of laboratory or clinical settings

“…Smell training has been recommended as a means to recover olfaction following COVID-19 (Hopkins et al, 2020). Smell training has also shown to enhance olfactory perception and cognition, and arguably even non-olfactory cognitive abilities, suggesting a wide range of applications (Birte-Antina et al, 2018;Olofsson et al, 2020). However, long-term training regimes in the home may confer issues with user compliance, transparency, and efficiency.…”

“…Olfactory games are not widely used in olfactory research, with a few exceptions. A recently published study used an olfactory game for perceptual and memory training, with relatively high levels of motivation and enjoyment throughout a 40-day training period (Olofsson et al, 2020).…”

A Method for Computerized Olfactory Assessment and Training Outside of Laboratory or Clinical Settings

“…Smell training has been recommended as a means to recover olfaction following COVID-19 (Hopkins et al., 2020). Smell training has also shown to enhance olfactory perception and cognition, and arguably even nonolfactory cognitive abilities, suggesting a wide range of applications (Birte-Antina et al., 2018; Olofsson et al., 2020). However, long-term training regimes in the home may confer issues with user compliance, transparency, and efficiency.…”

“…Olfactory games are not widely used in olfactory research, with a few exceptions. A recently published study used an olfactory game for perceptual and memory training, with relatively high levels of motivation and enjoyment throughout a 40-day training period (Olofsson et al., 2020). Although that study did not use a digital interface, it serves as an example of games as a mode of interaction, and how the range of interactions can be expanded further by means of digital olfactory displays.…”