抄録
The purpose of this research was to noninvasively evaluate the influence of aromatherapy on work performance in 14 healthy young adults. Participants in a room filled with the fragrance of lavender completed a self-reported questionnaire and multi-dimensional fatigue inventory-20 (MFI-20). Further, as an objective measure, blood flow in the inferior frontal cortex was evaluated via near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) as a parameter of working memory capacity. Compared to the control stage (no aromatherapy), exposure to aromatherapy achieved a significant reduction in general and mental fatigue according to MFI-20. Self-reported questionnaires also indicated improvement, but the differences were not statistically significant. NIRS measurement during the task performance of an N-back program indicated that regional blood flow in the inferior frontal cortex was significantly increased through exposure to aromatherapy, compared to without. The prefrontal area in the brain is involved in working memory, attention concentration and judgment. These results suggest that lavender may improve both cognitive ability and mood. A larger study with more aroma oils seems warranted.
