Training Your Sense of Smell To Enhance Long-Term Memory
Dr. Charles Gordon’s Total Mind System
As we age, our long term physical and mental health becomes increasingly important to us, especially as we seek to retain our cherished memories well into the years ahead. The science of Brain Health has evolved into one of most important fields of medical study. Numerous books and magazine articles address the topic of how to stay cognitively sharp as we age, and television commercials tout various supplements aimed at supporting brain health. A few years ago, Dr. Charles Gordon, a prominent Dallas-based neurosurgeon, became intrigued with one specific facet of brain health science: how our sense of smell is crucial for maintaining memory.
As we get older, we cherish our memories more and more, and we want to be able to continue to draw from our long-term memories.
We come into the world viewing our parents as virtually indestructible, but as we become parents ourselves and watch our own parents age, it can be difficult to accept. For adult children of aging parents, the first sign that a new level of attention should be paid to helping our parents manage this process can be we notice our parents' once-sharp memories begin to dim.
This experience happened to Dallas-based Board-certified neurosurgeon Dr. Charles Gordon.
Neurosurgeons specialize in diagnosing and treating conditions related to the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves. Performing surgery to remove brain tumors, treating carpel tunnel syndrome, exploring surgical and nonsurgical options for managing persistent back or neck pain, or addressing congenital brain and spinal conditions. When Dr. Gordon noticed the beginning of age-related memory loss in his own father, he felt the same helplessness that all adult children in such positions experience. But he also had the unique set of knowledge, contacts, and access to information afforded by his position as a neurosurgeon, plus the resolve to support his father's memory loss. So Dr. Gordon embarked on a medical journey that ultimately brought him to olfactory science, the study of the fascinating connection between our sense of smell and memory.
Olfactory science, also known as olfaction, is the study of our sense of smell, and the vital role it plays in our lives. When we encounter scents, sensory organs in our nasal cavity detect odorants (mostly organic molecules) and send nerve signals to the brain for processing. These are the signals that allow us to perceive and recognize different smells, influence our emotions – and support our sense of memory.
“Our sense of smell is intricately aligned to the brain's ability to store and retrieve memories," says Dr. Gordon. "Unlike other sensory inputs, such as sight or sound, smells have a direct pathway to the brain's limbic system, specifically the hippocampus, which plays a crucial role in the formation and consolidation of long-term memories. As a result, scents have a unique ability to trigger powerful emotional and autobiographical memories.”
Combining his extensive background in neuroscience and a passion for unraveling the mysteries of the brain, Dr. Gordon became a nationally recognized proponent of olfactory training. His years of dedicated olfactory research ultimately led him to develop a breakthrough program that includes olfactory training to support memory.
Dr. Gordon’s Total Mind™ Program (www.gettotalmind.com) is a safe, simple and fun way for adult children to actively engage with their parents and help stimulate their neural connections to support their memory. A three-part program, Total Mind™ includes the 1) Total Mind™ Memory & Focus supplement, a proprietary formula that fuels the brain’s mental fitness and provides the nutrition needed for memory; 2) the Total Mind™ Sleep & Relaxation proprietary formula designed to help support sleep quality and promote relaxation. which are both vital in maintaining long-term memory; and 3) the Total Mind™ Olfactory Scent Training Kit, which, as the heart of the Total Mind™ Program, exercises the memory-related parts of the brain.
Dr. Gordon's Total Mind™ Memory & Focus proprietary formula fuels the brain’s mental fitness, providing the nutrition needed for memory. Through exercises and techniques, individuals can harness the power of scent to help support their own memory.
Dr. Gordon cites the hippocampus, a key structure within the brain's limbic system, and how it plays a vital role in the connection between smell and memory. As individuals engage in olfactory training, the hippocampus is stimulated, leading to the formation of stronger neural pathways. This process facilitates the encoding and retrieval of memories associated with specific smells.
Individuals can incorporate these olfactory exercises into their daily routines to exercise their brain. By associating scents with important information or experiences, individuals can tap into the power of smell to stimulate their memory. “As we continue to unravel the mysteries of the brain, it becomes increasingly clear that harnessing the power of our senses can have profound effects on our cognitive abilities," says Dr Gordon.
So the next time you encounter a nostalgic scent, take a moment to appreciate the incredible role it plays in preserving our precious memories. This experience forms the basis for the Total Mind™ system, a program we believe will yield positive results for as we begin to grow older.
Learn more about Dr. Charles Gordon’s Total Mind System by visiting GetTotalMind.com.