Can a scent really sharpen your memory? It's complicated
The sense of smell shares an intimate but mysterious connection with memory. We know that past experiences can flash vividly to mind if we smell a scent that accompanied them. This has led to claims that aromatherapy can enhance memory or even diminish cognitive decline. But the mechanisms by which the brain associates experience with scent are still being unraveled, and there is mixed scientific evidence to back up such claims.