It is often observed that our sense of smell somehow taps into memories more intensely than any other (there have been some grisly examples of this: It was said that serial killer Dennis Nilsen was caught after a drainage engineer recognised the smell of decaying human flesh from his time as a fire-fighter during the blitz).
Thankfully, most of our olfactory 'memories' will be of something pleasant such as the smell of a mother's perfume when she was going out, or a favourite dish that a much loved grandparent would prepare.
In my case, the smell-memory connection is something of a mixed bag. Over the last 6 years, I have become acutely aware of how many toiletries use similar ingredients. Many showers have been punctuated by a flashback to my time in the acute ward of Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Washing, shaving and masking the smells of the ward felt really important during my rehabilitation. Maintaining some control over my appearance and aroma was a vital way of keeping in contact with my 'old' life and sense of self-respect. These little details can become very important to patients and should never be trivialised.
But the substances that enabled me to keep 'institutionalisation' at bay ended up paying a high price, as they became inextricably linked to this, most desperate period of my life. When I was discharged I had to bid a sad farewell to the aftershave that had nobly stood by me and kept me resolutely connected to days when I was at my poncy, primping best.
There is a theory that the strength of our response to smell is because we process smell and taste in a different way. What we see and here is received by our ears and eyes in the form of waves that our brain decodes (with varying degrees of success).
When we smell something there is a different interaction taking place. A molecule of 'stuff' comes into contact with the olfactory cells in the nose making a direct connection with the substance, which is then identified. It is because we have this physical contact with what we smell that the olfactory cells reproduce very quickly. If we smell smoke, there is a good chance that the olfactory cells will be burned and destroyed in the process, so rapid regeneration is essential.
This characteristic has made the research into olfactory cells an exciting part of the search for the treatment of spinal cord injury. If cells these from the patient's own body could be used for regenerative purposes, there would be virtually no risk of the material being rejected.
Should such treatment prove successful, it is still likely to be a long time before people with injuries as profound (and old) as mine are fixed.
Still, it's something to think about as I add yet another brand of shower gel to the banned list...
Thankfully, most of our olfactory 'memories' will be of something pleasant such as the smell of a mother's perfume when she was going out, or a favourite dish that a much loved grandparent would prepare.
In my case, the smell-memory connection is something of a mixed bag. Over the last 6 years, I have become acutely aware of how many toiletries use similar ingredients. Many showers have been punctuated by a flashback to my time in the acute ward of Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Washing, shaving and masking the smells of the ward felt really important during my rehabilitation. Maintaining some control over my appearance and aroma was a vital way of keeping in contact with my 'old' life and sense of self-respect. These little details can become very important to patients and should never be trivialised.
But the substances that enabled me to keep 'institutionalisation' at bay ended up paying a high price, as they became inextricably linked to this, most desperate period of my life. When I was discharged I had to bid a sad farewell to the aftershave that had nobly stood by me and kept me resolutely connected to days when I was at my poncy, primping best.
There is a theory that the strength of our response to smell is because we process smell and taste in a different way. What we see and here is received by our ears and eyes in the form of waves that our brain decodes (with varying degrees of success).
When we smell something there is a different interaction taking place. A molecule of 'stuff' comes into contact with the olfactory cells in the nose making a direct connection with the substance, which is then identified. It is because we have this physical contact with what we smell that the olfactory cells reproduce very quickly. If we smell smoke, there is a good chance that the olfactory cells will be burned and destroyed in the process, so rapid regeneration is essential.
This characteristic has made the research into olfactory cells an exciting part of the search for the treatment of spinal cord injury. If cells these from the patient's own body could be used for regenerative purposes, there would be virtually no risk of the material being rejected.
Should such treatment prove successful, it is still likely to be a long time before people with injuries as profound (and old) as mine are fixed.
Still, it's something to think about as I add yet another brand of shower gel to the banned list...
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