Aromas of Salvia Species Enhance Everyday Prospective Memory Performance in Healthy Young Adults

Abstract

Research has previously demonstrated that\raromas of both Salvia officinalis and Salvia lavandulaefolia are capable of modulating aspects of retrospective\rmemory, attention and mood. This study is the first to report the potential for\rthese aromas to enhance everyday prospective memory performance in healthy\ryoung adults. In an independent groups design, three conditions, Salvia officinalis aroma, Saliva lavandulaefolia aroma and no aroma were\remployed with 45 healthy volunteers in each condition. Prospective memory\rperformance was assessed using the Prospective Remembering Video Procedure. Data\ranalysis revealed that the Salvia\rofficinalis aroma group performed significantly better than the control\rgroup on both event and action subscales of the prospective memory task. Saliva lavandulaefolia aroma only led to enhancement for the event measure\rwhen compared to controls. No differences were found between the aroma\rconditions. These findings offer support for those previously reported for the\reffects of the aromas of Salvia sp.\ron cognition and again demonstrate differential effects of the two aromas. The\rresults are considered in terms of pharmacological mechanisms.