(-)-Linalool influence on the cerebral blood flow in healthy male volunteers revealed by three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling

Miho Ota; Noriko Sato; Daichi Sone; Jun Ogura; Hiroshi Kunugi

doi:10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_323_16

(-)-Linalool influence on the cerebral blood flow in healthy male volunteers revealed by three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling

Indian J Psychiatry. 2017 Apr-Jun;59(2):225-227. doi: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_323_16.

Authors

Miho Ota¹, Noriko Sato², Daichi Sone², Jun Ogura¹, Hiroshi Kunugi¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan.
² Department of Radiology, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187-8551, Japan.

PMID: 28827872
PMCID: PMC5547866
DOI: 10.4103/psychiatry.IndianJPsychiatry_323_16

Abstract

Background: Although aromatherapy is widely used, the pharmacology of the essential oils remains undiscovered.

Aim: The present study assessed the effect of (-)-linalool, the main contained material of lavender, on the brain function.

Materials and methods: Healthy male volunteers calculated the regional cerebral blood flow (CBF) before and after inhalation of (-)-linalool, and CBF changes were evaluated.

Results: There were significant CBF reductions in the right superior temporal gyrus to insula, anterior cingulate cortex after inhalation.

Conclusions: The previous study detected the regulatory influence of (-)-linalool on the glutamatergic transmission. The effect of (-)-linalool on the ACC and insula would cause the sedative and anxiolytic activity.

Keywords: (−)-linalool; Aromatherapy; glutamatergic transmission; lavender; pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling.