ArticleScientific reports2018
Ultra-slow mechanical stimulation of olfactory epithelium modulates consciousness by slowing cerebral rhythms in humans.
Article in Scientific reports, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
31 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.
- Lavender aromatherapy: A systematic review from essential oil quality and administration methods to cognitive enhancing effects.Applied psychology. Health and well-being · 2022Pooled it
- Breathing therapy for patients with medically unexplained physical symptoms and dysfunctional breathing: A pilot and feasibility trial.PloS one · 2025Trial
- Effect of coherent breathing on mental health and wellbeing: a randomised placebo-controlled trial.Scientific reports · 2023Trial
- Exploring Linalool-Based Phytotherapy for Excitatory/Inhibitory Imbalance in Alzheimer's Disease: A Review of Lavender and Cannabis Therapeutic Effects on Sleep, Seizures, and Cognition.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2026Review
- Know Your Nose: A Narrative Review of the Developmental and Functional Impact and Importance of the Nose, Nasal Breathing and Techniques on Health and Emotional Wellbeing.Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Review
- Integrating olfactory assessments in consciousness disorders: methodologies and therapeutic potential.Frontiers in neurology · 2026Review
- The effects of unilateral nostril breathing on brain functional network activity: a pilot study.Journal of neuroengineering and rehabilitation · 2025Article
- Pleasant odors specifically promote a soothing autonomic response and brain-body coupling through respiratory modulation.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Breathwork for Chronic Stress and Mental Health: Does Choosing a Specific Technique Matter?Medical sciences (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Review
- Olfactory epithelium electrical stimulation mitigates memory and synaptic deficits caused by mechanical ventilation.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Olfactory Epithelium Stimulation Using Rhythmic Nasal Air-Puffs Improves the Cognitive Performance of Individuals with Acute Sleep Deprivation.Brain sciences · 2024Article
- Report from a Tibetan Monastery: EEG neural correlates of concentrative and analytical meditation.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- Documenting and defining emergent phenomenology: theoretical foundations for an extensive research strategy.Frontiers in psychology · 2024Article
- The Altered States Database: Psychometric data from a systematic literature review.Scientific data · 2022Article
- Neural Correlates of Non-ordinary States of Consciousness in Pranayama Practitioners: The Role of Slow Nasal Breathing.Frontiers in systems neuroscience · 2022Article
- Effects of Pulsed-Wave Chromotherapy and Guided Relaxation on the Theta-Alpha Oscillation During Arrest Reaction.Frontiers in psychology · 2022Article
- Functional Connectivity of the Chemosenses: A Review.Frontiers in systems neuroscience · 2022Review
- Article
- Respiratory coupling between prefrontal cortex and hippocampus of rats anaesthetized with urethane in theta and non-theta states.The European journal of neuroscience · 2021Article
- Consciousness and complexity: a consilience of evidence.Neuroscience of consciousness · 2021Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
10 authors at 5 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
The coupling between respiration and neural activity within olfactory areas and hippocampus has recently been unambiguously demonstrated, its neurophysiological basis sustained by the well-assessed mechanical sensitivity of the olfactory epithelium. We herein hypothesize that this coupling reverberates to the whole brain, possibly modulating the subject's behavior and state of consciousness. The olfactory epithelium of 12 healthy subjects was stimulated with periodical odorless air-delivery (frequency 0.05 Hz, 8 s on, 12 off). Cortical electrical activity (High Density-EEG) and perceived state of consciousness have been studied. The stimulation induced i) an enhancement of delta-theta EEG activity over the whole cortex mainly involving the Limbic System and Default Mode Network structures, ii) a reversal of the overall information flow directionality from wake-like postero-anterior to NREM sleep-like antero-posterior, iii) the perception of having experienced an Altered State of Consciousness. These findings could shed further light via a neurophenomenological approach on the links between respiration, cerebral activity and subjective experience, suggesting a plausible neurophysiological basis for interpreting altered states of consciousness induced by respiration-based meditative practices.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.