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A Systematic Review on the Adult Alpha Brainwave Activity After Essential Oil Inhalation

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GeNeDis 2022 (GeNeDis 2022)

Part of the book series: Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology ((AEMB,volume 1425))

Abstract

Aroma extracts from plant species have been utilized since ancient times for a variety of discomforting circumstances. Aromatherapy is a recognized complementary therapeutic treatment performed in various ways such as massage or dermal application, with its main uses involving relaxation, pain relief, and stress management. Several studies have outlined that inhalation of fragrance may influence the brain function since their components can cross the blood-brain barrier and interact with central nervous system receptors. The aim of this review was to systematically present findings regarding alpha brain wave activity reported exclusively by electroencephalography. The study was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The PubMed and Scopus databases were screened for relevant papers, based on specific eligibility criteria. The final step of the process resulted in 13 studies published between 1998 and 2021, using different essential oils. Most of the studies revealed the increase of alpha brainwave activity post-essential oil inhalation. Given the proven positive outcomes of increased alpha wave activity on several domains such as cognitive performance and better mental state, further research on the impact of essential oil inhalation is warranted.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Asimina Komini

  2. Outpatient Specialty Clinic for Obsessive Compulsive and Related Disorders, First Department of Psychiatry, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Ioulia Kokka

  3. Laboratory of Genetics, Department of Biotechnology, School of Applied Biology and Biotechnology, Agricultural University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    Dimitrios Vlachakis

  4. University Research Institute of Maternal and Child Health and Precision Medicine, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece

    George P. Chrousos

  5. First Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein

  6. Center for Adolescent Medicine, and UNESCO Chair in Adolescent Health Care, First Department of Pediatrics, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Aghia Sophia Children’s Hospital, Athens, Greece

    Flora Bacopoulou

Authors
  1. Asimina Komini
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  2. Ioulia Kokka
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  3. Dimitrios Vlachakis
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  4. George P. Chrousos
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  5. Christina Kanaka-Gantenbein
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  6. Flora Bacopoulou
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Flora Bacopoulou .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Informatics, Ionian University, Corfu, Greece

    Panagiotis Vlamos

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Komini, A., Kokka, I., Vlachakis, D., Chrousos, G.P., Kanaka-Gantenbein, C., Bacopoulou, F. (2023). A Systematic Review on the Adult Alpha Brainwave Activity After Essential Oil Inhalation. In: Vlamos, P. (eds) GeNeDis 2022. GeNeDis 2022. Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, vol 1425. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31986-0_53

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