Nose breathers, whose mouths were taped over during the consolidation period, showed increased odor recognition compared to mouth breathers, whose noses were clipped during consolidation.
Nose breathing could enhance memory consolidation, according to a study
HIGHLIGHTS
- Nose breathing could enhance memory consolidation
- Nasal respiration also supports memory consolidation
- Nose breathing might facilitate communication between sensory and memory
Did you know! Nose breathing could enhance memory consolidation, according to a study. The research has been published in the Journal of Neuroscience.
The findings add to growing evidence for the influence of respiration on human perception and cognition.
Building on previous research in animals and humans, Artin Arshamian and colleagues compared the effects of nose breathing and mouse breathing during a one-hour consolidation period after participants were exposed to various odors.
Nose breathers, whose mouths were taped over during the consolidation period, showed increased odor recognition compared to mouth breathers, whose noses were clipped during consolidation.
Although this study did not measure brain activity, the researchers suggested that nose breathing might facilitate communication between sensory and memory networks as memories are replayed and strengthened during consolidation.
The study provided evidence that, in addition to its effects on memory encoding and retrieval, nasal respiration also supports memory consolidation.
The findings add to growing evidence for the influence of respiration on human perception and cognition.
Photo Credit: iStock
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