Abstract
The goal of the present study was to investigate whether psychoneuroimmunological variables including salivary cortisol and immunoglobulin A (S-IgA) levels as well as autonomic parameters were influenced by olfactory stimulation. Fragrance exposure for 10 minutes to lavender or skatole at concentrations of about 7 times their perception thresholds did not affect saliva cortisol or S-IgA levels and total protein or autonomic variables (heart rate, respiration frequency, electrodermal activity and fingertip microcirculation measured by laser Doppler flowmetry, photoplethysmography and temperature). Considering our detailed analyses of these parameters, including the individual time courses of the autonomic variables, salivary cortisol and S-IgA, and taking into account the degree of pleasure and the type of fragrance, it is noteworthy that no effects were observed. We conclude that the stimulation elicited by the tested fragrances was too weak to affect psychoneuroimmunological variables.
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