ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the relationships between olfaction, affective states and wellbeing at both psychological and biological levels. It first presents key aspects of the interrelation between the olfactory and emotional systems, at the psychological and biological levels. Secondly, it reviews the scientific findings on the ways the sense of smell modulates mood, behavior and cognition. Thirdly, the chapter discusses specific issues regarding certain discrepancies between studies, and how the effects of odors on mood, behavior and cognition change according to a variety of factors including gender and age, cognitive parameters such as awareness level, and olfactory system pathology (dysosmia). Effects of smells on stress were demonstrated in rats and mice, and also in humans suggesting that inhaling certain odorants may counteract the negative effects of stress while others induce stress symptoms. Humans odorized their environment with incense, scented candles or deodorants, in order to modulate their mood.
