The effects of olfactory stimulation on postural control in adults: A systematic review
10 affiliations
- 1Ministry of National Education of the Republic of Turkey, Erzurum Provincial Directorate of National Education, Erzurum, Turkey
- 2Department of Sports Medicine and Emerging Technologies, Faculty of Sport Sciences and Health, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
- 3Department of Sports Injury and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
- 4Department of Corrective Exercise & Sport Injury, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Allameh Tabataba’i University, Tehran, Iran
- 5Çorum Provincial Directorate of National Education, Ministry of National Education, Çorum, Turkey
- 6Department of Sport Management, Faculty of Sport Sciences, Mardin Artuklu University, Mardin, Turkey
- 7Quality Management Unit, Fırat University Hospital, Elazığ, Turkey
- 8Department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercises, Faculty of Sports Sciences, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran
- 9HERC- Health, Exercise & Research Center, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
- 10Department of Physical Education, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran
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.
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BibTeX
@article{sadir2026effects,
title = {{The effects of olfactory stimulation on postural control in adults: A systematic review}},
author = {Yunus Sadir and Mojtaba Khosravi and Hossein Khazanin and Hossein Fakoor Rashid and Emad Alavi and Tülay Ceylan and Izzet Karakulak and Suriye Tan and Mohammad Alimoradi and Mohammad Alghosi},
journal = {PLOS One},
year = {2026},
month = oct,
doi = {10.1371/journal.pone.0358888},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358888},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - The effects of olfactory stimulation on postural control in adults: A systematic review
AU - Yunus Sadir
AU - Mojtaba Khosravi
AU - Hossein Khazanin
AU - Hossein Fakoor Rashid
AU - Emad Alavi
AU - Tülay Ceylan
AU - Izzet Karakulak
AU - Suriye Tan
AU - Mohammad Alimoradi
AU - Mohammad Alghosi
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/10/14
JO - PLOS One
DO - 10.1371/journal.pone.0358888
UR - https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0358888
AB - 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.
SN - 1932-6203
ER -