Testing the Effects of Exposure to Eucalyptus Oil Upon Cognitive Performance
File(s)
Date
2019Author
Patel, Kahaan
Meinholz, Kiana
Milestone, Kalli
Diaz, Ali
Rumball, Ian
Publisher
Journal of Advanced Student Sciences (JASS)
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This study investigates the effects of eucalyptus oil on focus and relaxation during a
cognitive stressor. While prior studies focused on the healing and antimicrobial properties of
eucalyptus, few have gone further to study the physiological effects of the oil on regular mental
stressors, or daily situations that elevate the mental load experienced by the body. Mental stress,
regardless of the initial stressor, exhibits similar physiological effects such as elevated heart rate,
respiration rate, and EEG measurements (i.e. beta waves). Due to these similarities across
conditions it is likely that the introduction of eucalyptus oil has the capability to reduce these
physiological values, signaling a decrease in overall stress. It was hypothesized that exposing
subjects to eucalyptus oil while performing a cognitive task would decrease the change in
physiological vitals such as heart rate, respiration, and beta wave frequency, compared to control
subjects not exposed to eucalyptus oil. To test this hypothesis, the average changes in heart rate,
respiration rate, and beta wave frequency from baseline measurements to experimental
conditions were compared between the two treatment groups. From the results, no significant
data was observed, therefore, it can be concluded that exposure to eucalyptus oil does not have
any drastic effect on altering heart rate, respiration rate, or beta wave frequency while faced with
a cognitive stressor, which the study used to indicate mental stress.
Subject
Aromatherapy
Beta waves
EEG
essential oils
eucalyptus extract
Heart Rate
respiratory rate
logic puzzles
mental performance
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/82009Description
An article that appeared in JASS, issue 2019