THE MADELEINE MOMENT

We already explored the links between our sense of smell and memory and emotions, and the novel by Marcel Proust is a great example that describes this.

In “In Search of Lost Time” (1913), Proust’s famous “madeleine moment” vividly illustrates how a simple sensory experience can trigger long-forgotten memories. When the narrator dips a madeleine cake into tea, the flavour transports him back to his childhood, unlocking a flood of detailed recollections.

This phenomenon is not just literary but also rooted in science. Our senses, particularly taste and smell, are closely linked to the brain’s memory centers.

The olfactory bulb, which processes smells, has direct connections to the hippocampus and amygdala, areas critical for memory and emotion.

This direct pathway explains why certain scents or flavours can instantly evoke powerful memories and emotions.

Proust’s vivid depiction highlights the deep, intrinsic link between our senses and our personal histories, a connection that modern neuroscience continues to explore and understand