Pumpkin spice tickles brain neurons for seasonal profits

The classic, sticky-sweet scent lingers heavily in the air. With just a simple sniff, the smell immediately puts senses into a sweater-weather embrace. Pumpkin spice. Is this fan-favorite anchored to the days of autumn, or could it possibly stand on its own year-round?

Companies seem to love making Halloween or fall-related treats that will preserve excitement, and generate revenue, until the next holiday installment. But this orange scent tends to flake away with the autumn leaves. Starbucks discontinues their pumpkin spice lattes for eggnog, pumpkin pie is replaced by fruit cake, and that blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves becomes hard to find. Further alluding to the fact that pumpkin spice may simply be a one-season delight. 

This perceived necessity during the fall season creates a frenzy for all things pumpkin spice. 

Consumer addiction could possibly be caused by a biological reason, as pumpkin spice triggers an emotional, neurological response deeper than simple hunger.

The part of the brain that processes smell intertwines with the part of the brain tied to memories, according to Jason Fischer and Sarah Cormiea, who studied the “Dynamic Perception Lab,” through Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. 

The part of the brain that processes memories, the hippocampus, sits right up against the part that processes odors, the olfactory. Which can be understood further through the grand effect that pumpkin has on the brain. Just reading the phrase “pumpkin spice” can trigger positive memories of the fall season. 

This connection can also be seen in the way flowers remind one of a walk in spring with a loved one, or the smell of a campfire may flash people back to a sleepaway camp, roasting marshmallows, or camping. The closeness of memory and smell in the brain heavily contributes to its intensive appeal.

Pumpkin spice’s appeal is heavily influenced by novelty. Rather than the flavor itself, many enjoy the scent because of its familiarity that reminds you of happier times.

Beyond the brain research, pumpkin spice provides some warmth as temperatures start to drop this year. Enjoy the spice before eggnog saturates the market before Thanksgiving is even over.

by Elizabeth Clark

Published October 3, 2022

Oshkosh West Index Volume 119 Issue I