New discovery – rosemary oil may improve working memory in children

This is true not only for older adults but also for children. Exposing children to rosemary essential oil can significantly improve their working memory. This is one of the findings of a study presented by Dr. Mark Moss and Victoria Earle of Northumbria University on May 4, 2017. They presented their observations at the British Psychological Society Annual Conference in Brighton. Dr. Moss's previous research focused on the effects of rosemary oil on healthy adults. Analyses showed that the oil improved cognitive functioning in these individuals . Following this lead, the researcher wanted to see if similar effects could be observed in school-age children. Forty children aged 10-11 were tested. The children performed various mental tasks. One group sat in a room where rosemary oil was diffused for 10 minutes, while the other sat in an unscented room. The children took the test individually. During the test, they sat at a table opposite the researcher. The researcher introduced herself and said, "You are here to play memory games. Please don't get nervous and try your best to remember what I'm asking you to do." The analysis showed that children in the scented room scored significantly higher than those in the unscented room . The word recall test yielded the largest difference in scores. The discovery of a pair of scientists offers a chance to easily improve working memory, which is associated with poor school performance.