Students can boost their exam grades by smelling ROSEMARY
- The woody herb has long had a reputation as being helpful to the memory
- Researchers found that rosemary essential oil is helpful to children’s recollection
- This follows on from old research that it is beneficial in boosting adult memories
Colin Fernandez Science Correspondent For The Daily Mail
4
View
comments
Children facing exams could enhance their recall by inhaling the smell of rosemary.
The woody herb often used to add flavour garnish lamb has long had a reputation as being helpful to the memory.
In ancient Greece, scholars wore sprigs of rosemary when taking tests to give their recollection a boost.
Shakespeare also credited the herb with memory – enhancing powers, writing the line ‘Rosemary, that’s for remembrance’ in Hamlet.
Now researchers at Northumbria University found that rosemary essential oil is helpful to children’s recollection, following on from previous research that it boosts adult memories.
The woody herb often used to add flavour garnish lamb has long had a reputation as being helpful to the memory
Dr Mark Moss and Victoria Earle will outline their findings at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference in Brighton later this week.
Dr Moss said: ‘Our previous study demonstrated the aroma of rosemary essential oil could enhance cognition in healthy adults.
‘Knowing how important working memory is in academic achievement we wanted to see if similar effects could be found in school age children in classroom settings.’
-
Women who take folic acid supplements during pregnancy are…
No pain relief and no food…how the NHS betrays new mums:…
Waiting lists to double for hip and knee operations over the…
Massage… as good to give as it is to receive! Study finds…
A total of 40 children aged 10 to 11 took part in a class based test on different mental tasks.
Children were randomly assigned to a room that had either rosemary oil diffused in it for ten minutes or a room with no scent.
The children were tested individually, seated at the table opposite the researcher.
After introducing herself to the child the researcher said: ‘You are here to play some memory games.
‘Please don’t be nervous but try the best you can to remember what I ask you to.’
The children who worked in the aroma room achieved significantly higher scores than the non-scented room. The greatest effect was seen in the test to recall words.
Dr Moss said: ‘Why and how rosemary has this effect is still up for debate. It could be that aromas affect electrical activity in the brain or that pharmacologically active compounds can be absorbed when adults are exposed.
‘We do know that poor working memory is related to poor academic performance and these findings offers a possible cost effective and simple intervention to improve academic performance in children. The time is ripe for large-scale trials of aroma application in education settings.’
Share or comment on this article
-
Queen calls her ENTIRE household to ‘highly unusual’… -
Obama’s sex secrets laid bare: How he considered a gay… -
‘I consider myself trans-species’: Fantasy fan transforms… -
His first taste of freedom: Heart-warming moment an… -
REVEALED: Barack Obama two-timed Michelle Obama with a… -
Lost 16-year-old girl ‘was gang-raped by kebab shop owner… -
‘The f***ing b******s have taken her’: Witnesses tell of… -
‘I bet you wish you were dead’: People with extreme… -
‘We will be here for as long as it takes’: Kate and Gerry… -
British doctor, 69, arrested ‘for abusing girls as young… -
Stay out of our election! Theresa May launches… -
Muhammed and Amelia are now the most-popular boys’ and… -
The voter who left Tim Farron all shook up: Furious Elvis… -
Gang-of-four ‘forced a vulnerable father to EAT one of… -
Real-life Lassie: Moment abandoned dog leads rescuers two… -
The man with the worst job in the world: Bangladesh sewer… -
Brussels admits it faces an ‘explosive’ crisis if UK… -
Revealed: Married couple are among four people arrested…
Comments 4
Share what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.