[The effect of long-term exposure to essential oils on the psychoemotional state and mental performance of elderly people.].

The effect of forty-minute exposure to essential oils (EO) of clove, coriander, lavender, lemon, rosemary, and savory on the psycho-emotional state and mental performance of elderly people (average age over 70 years) was studied when they inhaled air containing vapors of the indicated EOs at a concentration of 1 mg/m3. It was found that all the EO studied reduced anxiety and depression (assessed using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale) and also increased the effectiveness of viewing large image arrays (proofreading test). Lavender, lemon, rosemary, and mountain savory EO improved subjects' self-assessments of their mood, while mountain savory improved subjects' relaxation.