においが認知機能に与える効果

摘要

においに対するヒトの感覚強度は，加齢とともに変化することが確認されており，高齢者では徐々に感度が低下する．一方，においの質の違いを嗅ぎ分けるような識別力は，においの種類によって結果に違いが生じる．例えば，食品は身近で日常的に慣れ親しんでいるものであり，そのにおいとそうでないにおいとでは，馴染みのあるにおいのほうが識別率は高い．また，においに対する嗜好には，生活環境や習慣が関与する． ここでは，においに対する識別や嗜好の様子から，においがヒトの認知機能にどのような関わり方をしているのか考えてみたい．%Human olfactory sensitivity varied with aging ; the elderly people have gradually low­ered their ability for odor identification. Decrease of the ability for odor identification varied from odor to odor. For example, the familiar odors, such as foods that are familiar and/or accustomed, are more easily identified than the unfamiliar ones. In addition, it was suggested that the familiar odors are more preferred. The odor will also affect our emotions and human behavior. For example, the odor is also affecting the anguage learning motivation and willingness to participate in music therapy. These findings suggested that it will have a great benefit to utilize the familiar and/or preferred odor in the learning situation. From the above, we think that the odor have oppotunity to help the quality of our social life.