{"id":135,"date":"2024-12-02T16:32:38","date_gmt":"2024-12-02T16:32:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enu-mindcrea\/?p=135"},"modified":"2024-12-02T16:32:39","modified_gmt":"2024-12-02T16:32:39","slug":"cedar-october-2024-meeting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.napier.ac.uk\/enu-mindcrea\/2024\/12\/02\/cedar-october-2024-meeting\/","title":{"rendered":"CEDAR October 2024 Meeting"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday the 23rd of October 2024, our bimonthly CEDAR meeting took place in B2, on the Edinburgh Napier University Merchiston campus and simultaneously on Teams.<\/em><\/p>\n

Two following presentations were delivered to our CEDAR members:<\/p>\n

1 \u2013 “The Smell Training Study”, by Emily Spencer from the School of Applied Science (SAS) at Edinburgh Napier University.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Enhancing the Sense of Smell Through Olfactory Training<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"\"\"In a world where our senses shape our experiences, smell often goes unnoticed\u2014until it\u2019s compromised. Olfactory Dysfunction (OD), or an impaired sense of smell, is a condition that impacts millions globally. About 1 in 5 people in the UK alone experience some level of smell impairment, and 1 in 20 live with anosmia, the complete loss of smell. The Smell Training Study, led by a team from Edinburgh Napier University, investigates how targeted “smell training” can help those struggling with OD.<\/p>\n

Understanding Olfactory Dysfunction and Its Impact<\/h3>\n

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Olfactory Dysfunction can stem from various causes, such as respiratory infections, ageing, head trauma, or neurological diseases. Notably, COVID-19 spotlighted OD, with studies showing that 40-75% of infected individuals experienced smell loss. Beyond the physical implications, OD can profoundly affect one’s mental health and quality of life. Many experience anxiety, depression, and reduced pleasure from everyday activities like eating, cooking, and socializing. Additionally, impaired smell poses safety risks, such as missing warning odours from smoke, gas leaks, or spoiled food.<\/p>\n

The Science Behind Smell Training \u00a0\"\"<\/h3>\n

Smell training, a therapy developed by Dr. Hummel in 2009, leverages the olfactory system\u2019s unique regenerative ability. The concept is simple but powerful: individuals smell specific scents\u2014commonly lemon, rose, cloves, and eucalyptus\u2014twice daily. Over time, this repetitive stimulation can potentially “retrain” the brain to process olfactory signals more effectively. Smell training is affordable, easy to implement, and, as the study shows, can yield significant improvements in the sense of smell.<\/p>\n

Key Findings from the Study<\/h3>\n

The study, which evaluated the influence of odour pleasantness on smell training outcomes, found compelling results. Participants with normosmia (normal smell function) and those with OD underwent a 16-week smell training regimen. They were evaluated using the Sniffin\u2019 Sticks Olfactory Test, which measures odour threshold, discrimination, and identification (TDI score).<\/p>\n

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Some key findings include:<\/p>\n