{ "abstract": "Background: Olfactory stimulation has emerged as a potential modulator of postural control, yet the evidence has not been systematically synthesized. This systematic review aimed to aggregate, critically appraise, and narratively synthesize the available literature on the effects of olfactory stimulation on postural control in adults. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to the PRISMA 2020 guideline and the Cochrane Handbook. The protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD420261326528). A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus was performed from inception to December 1, 2025, supplemented by grey literature searches and reference list screening. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), quasi-experimental designs, and clinical trials examining olfactory stimulation effects on any quantitative measure of postural control were eligible. Two reviewers independently performed study selection, data extraction, and quality assessment using the Downs and Black checklist. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) framework. Due to substantial methodological and clinical heterogeneity, a narrative synthesis was conducted following the Synthesis Without Meta-analysis (SWiM) guidelines. Results: Ten studies (six RCTs and four Non-RCTs) involving 365 participants (mean age 47.9 ± 19.8 years) were included. Olfactory stimulation with pleasant odors (e.g., lavender, black pepper) generally enhanced postural stability, particularly in older adults and under eyes-closed conditions, while unpleasant odors consistently increased postural sway. However, inhibitory effects were observed during high-precision athletic tasks. Odor-specific effects were identified, with appetitive cues producing unique facilitatory effects. According to GRADE, the certainty of evidence was moderate for dynamic balance and functional mobility, low for fear of falling, and very low for static balance. Conclusion: Olfactory stimulation can modulate postural control in adults, with effects dependent on odor valence, participant traits, and task demands. Pleasant odors generally enhance stability during sensory deprivation, while unpleasant odors increase sway; however, trigeminal stimulants like ammonia may impair high-precision tasks. Evidence certainty was low to moderate, warranting cautious interpretation. These findings lay the groundwork for future research on olfactory-motor integration and clinical applications in balance rehabilitation and fall prevention.", "abstract_shown": true, "affiliations": [ "Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey, Erzurum Provincial Directorate of National Education, Erzurum, Turkey", "Department of Sports Medicine and Emerging Technologies, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran", "Department of Sports Injury and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran", "Department of Corrective Exercise & Sport Injury, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran", "Çorum Provincial Directorate of National Education, Ministry of National Education, Çorum, Turkey", "Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Mardin Artuklu University, Mardin, Turkey", "Quality Management Unit, Fırat University Hospital, Elazığ, Turkey", "Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran", "HERC- Health, Exercise & Research Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates", "Department of Physical Education, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran" ], "article_type": "Research Article", "arxiv": null, "author_total": 10, "authors": [ { "affs": [ 0 ], "name": "Yunus Sadir" }, { "affs": [ 1 ], "name": "Mojtaba Khosravi" }, { "affs": [ 2 ], "name": "Hossein Khazanin" }, { "affs": [ 3 ], "name": "Hossein Fakoor Rashid" }, { "affs": [ 4 ], "name": "Emad Alavi" }, { "affs": [ 5 ], "name": "Tülay Ceylan" }, { "affs": [ 6 ], "name": "Izzet Karakulak" }, { "affs": [ 7 ], "name": "Suriye Tan" }, { "affs": [ 8 ], "name": "Mohammad Alimoradi" }, { "affs": [ 9 ], "name": "Mohammad Alghosi" } ], "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/101asmk62c2yj.bib", "cited_by": 0, "doi": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358888", "fulltext_url": null, "id": "101asmk62c2yj", "issns": [ "1932-6203" ], "landing_url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358888", "language": null, "licence": "CC-BY-4.0", "licence_label": "CC BY 4.0", "licence_source": "journal", "licence_url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/", "metadata_licence": null, "native_subjects": [ [ "openalex", "3612|Balance, Gait, and Falls Prevention" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Agronomy/Plant products/Essential oils" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Agriculture/Crop science/Plant products/Essential oils" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Cell biology/Signal transduction/Sensory receptors/Olfactory receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive neuroscience/Motor reactions/Postural control" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive science/Cognitive neuroscience/Motor reactions/Postural control" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Cognitive science/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception/Sensory receptors/Olfactory receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Neuroscience/Sensory perception/Sensory receptors/Olfactory receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Biology and life sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception/Sensory receptors/Olfactory receptors" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Clinical medicine/Clinical trials/Randomized controlled trials" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Geriatrics/Balance and falls" ], [ "plos", "/Medicine and health sciences/Pharmacology/Drug research and development/Clinical trials/Randomized controlled trials" ], [ "plos", "/Physical sciences/Chemistry/Chemical compounds/Ammonia" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Clinical trials/Randomized controlled trials" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Database and informatics methods/Database searching" ], [ "plos", "/Research and analysis methods/Research assessment/Systematic reviews" ], [ "plos", "/Social sciences/Psychology/Cognitive psychology/Perception/Sensory perception/Sensory receptors/Olfactory receptors" ] ], "openalex": "W7221779573", "pdf_url": "https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0358888&type=printable", "pmcid": null, "pmid": null, "published": "2026-10-14", "publisher": "Public Library of Science", "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/101asmk62c2yj.ris", "sources": [ { "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:17:23Z", "native_id": "10.1371/journal.pone.0358888", "source": "plos", "url": "https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358888" } ], "subjects": [ { "field": "biology", "origin": "plos:cognitive neuroscience", "subfield": "neuroscience" }, { "field": "medicine", "origin": "plos:clinical trials", "subfield": "clinical-trials" } ], "title": "The effects of olfactory stimulation on postural control in adults: A systematic review", "title_text": "The effects of olfactory stimulation on postural control in adults: A systematic review", "type": "peer-reviewed", "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:17:23Z", "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/101asmk62c2yj", "venue": "PLOS One", "versions": [] }