title: Plasma 1,8-cineole correlates with cognitive performance following exposure to rosemary essential oil aroma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The mode of influence of the aromas of plant essential oils on human behaviour is largely unclear. This study was designed to assess the potential pharmacological relationships between absorbed 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma, cognitive performance and mood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy volunteers performed serial subtraction and visual information processing tasks in a cubicle diffused with the aroma of rosemary. Mood assessments were made pre and post testing, and venous blood was sampled at the end of the session. Pearson correlations were carried out between serum levels of 1,8-cineole, cognitive performance measures and change in mood scores.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Here we show for the first time that performance on cognitive tasks is significantly related to concentration of absorbed 1,8-cineole following exposure to rosemary aroma, with improved performance at higher concentrations. Furthermore, these effects were found for speed and accuracy outcomes, indicating that the relationship is not describing a speed-accuracy trade off. The relationships between 1,8-cineole levels and mood were less pronounced, but did reveal a significant negative correlation between change in contentment and plasma 1,8-cineole levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings suggest that compounds absorbed from rosemary aroma affect cognition and subjective state independently through different neurochemical pathways.
authors: Brain, Performance and Nutrition Research Centre, Department of Psychology, School of Life Sciences, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK.
authors: Mark
authors: M
authors: Moss
authors: Lorraine
authors: L
authors: Oliver
keywords: aroma; cholinergic; cineole; cognition; essential oil; mood; rosemary
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