Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy

“The RAVENSARA Dilemma” or A comparison study of the taxonomy, chemical constituents, safety and an aromatherapy market survey of essential oils from the plants: Ravensara aromatica, Ravensara anisata, Cinnamomum camphora. By Sylla Sheppard-Hanger, for An International Training Program in Essential Oils: Advanced Studies, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana. 1997 Full paper $10.00

A statement about the state of affairs in aromatherapy concerning lack of proper aromatherapy research, training, and how to go about correcting this. This above link is a memo sent by Sylla Sheppard-Hanger and Michael Kirk-Smith to the major organizations internationally setting core curriculum for aromatherapy training. As you will see, there is a big problem in aromatherapy in the lack of research and evaluation because students are not properly educated on how to do this. Therefore aromatherapy is not doing what other fields do. The following list of papers by Michael explains what can be done to remedy the situation, if the research and evaluation is properly done. The available papers will be listed following the memo. These can be obtained by contacting Michael directly at: mks@ulst.ac.uk

Use Of Essential Oils and Natural Extracts to Help Counter Side Effects of Radiation During Cancer Treatment Aromatherapy can be used as an effective complimentary treatment during radiation therapy. The medical community considers side effects such as burning and irritation of the skin tissue relatively minor discomforts. For the patient receiving treatment, these above effects are an additional burden, which can be both uncomfortable and unpleasant. The sensations of improved comfort and well-being are achievable through the inhalation and application of essential oils and other natural extracts. This paper presents the author's firsthand experience of the methods and describes the ingredients used to aid her process of recovery from breast cancer treatment.

Psychosensory Aromatherapy Research Project (PARP) - Intersection Points for Aromatherapy and Psychotherapy in the Treatment of Behavior and Emotional Disorders. In order to contribute to the scientific understanding of the psychotherapeutic applications of aroma, touch, sound, and other sensory processes, the Psychosensory Aromatherapy Research Project (PARP) was developed as a long-term collaborative program. Research began in 1997, as a partnership between the Atlantic Institute of Aromatherapy and the University of South Florida.


Therapeutic Uses of Olfaction by Michael Kirk-Smith Olfaction is unique amongst the senses in its direct connections to the neuroendocrine and limbic structures of the brain. This suggests that the olfactory system and olfactory stimuli may have potential uses in the treatment of various disorders, both physiological and psychological. Recent multidisciplinary research on the olfactory system may open up such therapeutic uses. This paper reviews the health implications and applications of examples of this research. The areas covered are pharmacological effects and neuroendocrine responses, the conditioning of the immune and affective systems, odour memory, the direct influence of odour on mood and hedonics and finally social psychological aspects related to interactions with expectation, placebo and situations. At each level findings from pure research or clinical uses related to this research are described. Taken overall, the research lends substantial circumstantial support for novel therapeutic uses of olfactory stimuli, and point to a need for their formal clinical evaluation. Full paper $15.00

Culture and Olfactory Communication Published as: Kirk-Smith, M (1995) Culture and Olfactory Communication. In "Ethological Roots of Culture", Ed. Gardner A., Dordrecht, Holland: Kluwer Academic Pubs., pp.385-406. ABSTRACT: In this paper the evidence for an olfactory communication system in man is examined. Man is highly scented. The axillary glands of human beings are larger and contain more apocrine glands than any other primate, and produce musky steroids for which there are matching olfactory receptors. Pheromonal-like responses to these compounds have been observed. The implications of learning and context on these responses are discussed. Perfumes contain compounds that are sexual attractants in other mammals and which resemble the musky steroids. Examples of the cultural transmission of social responses to these natural and synthetic odours across human cultures present and past are given. Finally, possible evolutionary and cultural reasons for the suppression and adaptation of man's natural chemical communication system are presented. Full paper $15.00

Chemoreception in Human Behaviour: An analysis of the social effects of fragrances Kirk-Smith, M.D. and Booth, D.A. (1987) Chemoreception in Human Behaviour: An analysis of the social effects of fragrances. Chemical Senses, 12(1), 159-166. ABSTRACT: Human responses to odour are acquired in complex settings, by associations with emotionally significant effects. Odours thus help to carry the meaning of their sources, evoking recognition and affect. Olfactory discrimination between people involves elicitation of attitude, whether babies' maternal identification or adults' reaction tto body odour and perfumes. These effects are determined by the odorant's place in a whole stimulus array - which may include other odorants, a specific type of social situation and the perceiver's state of mind. The results of an experiment on the social effect of an odour will therefore depend critically on the test situation, procedure and instructions. We use these principles to resolve the apparent conflicts in research findings and to point to implications for the formulation and advertising of personal fragrances. Full paper $15.00

Olfactory Development: The Constraints Imposed by the System and Their Implications Michael Kirk-Smith, University of Ulster, Newtonabbey, Northern Ireland, BT37 0QB. Published in: Enfance (1997), 1, 84-97. ABSTRACT: The development of olfactory preferences in infants and children is recognised as a difficult area of research. This is in part caused by the many confounding factors, or constraints, involved. This paper is an initial attempt to clarify the situation by classifying these constraints into four groups; first, constraints common to any psychological research; secondly, those imposed by the olfactory system itself; thirdly, those due to developmental and maturational processes; and fourthly, those imposed by the nature of the research strategy employed, with particular reference to therapeutic applications. Examples from the literature are provided and discussed. The purpose is to help researchers focus upon the categories in a rational manner when designing experiments and studies and to help in formalising consensus and debate on how research in this area is carried out. Full paper $15.00

Replacement of Chronic Drug Treatment in Insomnia in Psychogeriatric Patients by an Ambient Odour Published in edited form in The Lancet (1995) 346, 701, Mark Hardy, Michael D Kirk-Smith and David D Stretch ABSTRACT: Hypnotic drugs are frequently prescribed chronically to relieve insomnia in psychogeriatric, despite recommendations that they are for short-term use only. They have serious side-effects such as impaired psychomotor function, which has strong links to serious accidents. The chronic prescription indicates the current difficulty in treating this condition effectively. Recent pharmacological and animal studies indicate that the main components of lavender oil have a light sedative effect. In this study, the hours of sleep of each of four psychogeriatric patients three of whom were under different long-term medication, was measured for six weeks. After two weeks medication was withdrawn, and for the final two weeks ambient lavender oil was introduced into their ward using an odour diffuser. The results suggested that the amount of time spent asleep was significantly reduced after withdrawal of medication. However, after introduction of ambient lavender oil, sleep returned to the same level as under medication. Patients were also reported to be less restless during sleep. Additionally, the lavender oil was reported to have masked the unpleasant odours typically present. This exposure to odour is potentially more economic than current medication. The study suggests that ambient lavender oil, under certain circumstances, might be used as a temporary relief from continued medication for insomnia. This could be potentially important in lessening side effects. Full paper $15.00

Psychological Issues in Questionnaire-based Research Paper published in The Journal of the Market Research Society, vol.40 (3), 223-236, July 1998. Michael Kirk-Smith, School of Management, University of Ulster, Newtonabbey, BT37 0QB ABSTRACT: The questionnaire survey is a primary tool in market research. However, there are many psychologically-related issues and limitations which may not always be considered. This paper brings these issues together under the four headings of Theory building, Validity of self-report, Measurement and Analysis, i.e., spanning the formulation of the research, the collection and analysis of data through to the interpretation of the results. The main conclusions are that in planning questionnaire research the explanatory and psychological limitations must be recognised, indirect and behavioural measures should also be considered, the aims must be related to the measures and results, and that psychological advice may be useful during the planning of the research. Full paper $15.00



Evidence-Based Medicine and Randomised Double-Blind Clinical Trials: A study of flawed implementation To be published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice (2001) Michael D. Kirk-Smith and David D. Stretch ABSTRACT: The randomised double-blind clinical trial (RDBCT) is a key source of information for evidence-based medicine. However, anomalous and unexplainable results have prompted suggestions that "unknown and unidentifiable biases" may exist. This paper identifies that a possible flaw in the implementation of RDBCTs may account for these biases. The flaw relates to the breaking of the double blind through the generation of beliefs and expectations in experimenters. These, in turn, may lead to unconscious biases in assessment and cues to patients. It is then uncertain how much of an observed effect is due to such expectations or the treatment itself. Therefore, any RDBCT in which the maintenance of blinding is not monitored throughout its course is at risk of its conclusions being compromised. It is not sufficient to assert that blinding must have been maintained through arguments based on design features. The burden of proof is on the researchers to demonstrate, through data, that blinding has been maintained. The need to address social psychological issues in implementing RDBCTs is discussed and it is recommended that to avoid this confound, methods of monitoring and accounting for experimenter beliefs and expectations should be routinely included in future RDBCTs. Full paper $15.00

Psychological Effects of Lavender Kirk-Smith, M.D. (April/May 2002) The psychological effects of lavender. In Lis-Balchin, M. (Ed.) "Medicinal and Aromatic Plants", Harwood Academic Pubs., Amsterdam. In press. AABSTRACT: The paper initially quotes from plays and literature from the 16c to the present to get an idea of how "ordinary" people, rather than clinicians, understood how lavender was used in everyday life in the past. This shows that the calming and anxiety relieving abilities were well recognised. The possible mechanisms of action and the compounds involved are then described, followed by the effects of lavender on brain waves and on psychological responses. Finally, the research on clinical uses of these effects is reviewed. The conclusion is that although historical use and experimental research indicates calming or sedative effects, these can be difficult to identify or pin down, especially in real-life applications. (20 pages, 8812 words) Full paper $25.00

"The above listed papers are copyrighted materials purchased under the agreement that none of the materials, in whole or in part, may be copied, distributed, or quoted from without the express written permission of the author."