Effects of Olfactory Stimulation with Essential Oils in Animals: A Review

摘要

The influence of essential oils on emotions has been widely described for humans (Roberts and Williams, 1992), zoo animals (Schuett and Frase, 2001; Pearson, 2002; Wells and Egli, 2004), cats (Ellis, 2009), dogs (Wells, 2004; Graham et al, 2005) and horses (Ferguson et al., 2013). Specific scents trigger memories and emotions by activating the amygdala and the hippocampus. Inhalation of essential oils may lead to a profound psychological and physiological effect via the same pathway (Cahillet al., 1995). Citrus or sweet orange essences have been used with positive results in rats with anxiety symptoms (Faturi et al., 2010). The inhalation of lavender led to a significant decrease in the heart rate in horses that had been exposed to acute stress (Ferguson et al, 2013). Lavender and chamomile had a similar effect on dogs (Graham et al., 2005).