Clearing the Brain Fog – Evaluation of a three-month randomised rosemary aroma intervention during the menopause

Mark Moss is Head of the Department of Psychology at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England. His research has largely focussed on natural interventions that might impact positively on aspects of cognitive performance in healthy adults. 
Twenty years ago, he was introduced to the area of essential oils by an undergraduate student, and this has been the principal focus of his work in the ensuing years. The historic association between rosemary and memory piqued his interest and he was surprised to find the limited extent of research literature investigating the area. 
In a series of university and industry-funded studies Mark has identified beneficial effects of rosemary on memory in healthy young and older adults, and children.
A conversation with an occupational psychologist from Lancaster University with an interest in the impact of the menopause in working women led to the development of a research proposal funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (UK) in 2020.
Fortunately, the study was designed to be conducted at distance and was successfully completed in spite of the Covid-19 pandemic.