Familiar scents unlock memories in people with depression. Could 'smell therapy' help patients?

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Aria Bendix is the breaking health reporter for NBC News Digital.

Study after study has shown that people with depression have trouble recalling specific memories. They might hear the word 'party,' for instance, and think, 'I don’t get invited to parties often.' By contrast, someone without depression could hear the word 'party' and immediately recall a childhood birthday or recent celebration at a friend’s house.

There's also a well-established link between losing one's sense of smell and depression. A reduced sense of smell could increase the risk of depression, and late-in-life depression in particular. In a survey of more than 300 people who reported some smell loss due to Covid, 43% of participants said they felt depressed. “We think about reduced smell ability being associated with poor quality of life, poor hygiene, increased loneliness, as well as weight loss.

 

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