Renowned Neuroscientist Launches Memory Air to Improve Cognitive Health Through the Science of Smell

Backed by peer-reviewed studies and more than 16 years of research, the device applies scent-based stimulation to enhance cognitive performance and memory function

DANA POINT, Calif., Nov. 19, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Memory Air™ announced its launch, unveiling a simple way to boost memory and keep the brain healthy. The technology builds on more than a decade of neuroscience research led by Dr. Michael Leon, Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine, and ranked in the top 1% of all scientists by a Stanford School of Medicine study. His work has shown that sensory enrichment, particularly through scent, can meaningfully reshape the brain.

In a 2023 randomized controlled trial at the University of California, Irvine, Dr. Leon's team enrolled adults aged 60 to 85 who received different diffused odors nightly for six months. When these rotating, novel odors were introduced to participants' bedrooms for two hours each night, memory performance surged, showing a 226% greater improvement as measured by a word list test commonly used to evaluate memory. This is the largest memory improvement noted to date in scientific literature.

Memory Air builds on that research and automates the process of olfactory enrichment. Meant to be used while the user is sleeping, the plug-in bedside device is scientifically calibrated to deliver scent concentrations, durations, and intervals that mirror protocols used in published neuroscience research. Each Memory Air unit contains 40 natural scents that rotate twice nightly to prevent habituation and maximize neural stimulation, all without user effort.

"Most people don't realize that our sense of smell has a direct pathway to the brain's memory centers," said Dr. Michael Leon, co-founder of Science Lab 3, makers of Memory Air. "By restoring that sensory input in a structured, scientifically informed way, we hope to improve cognitive function and build resilience against age-related decline."

Dr. Leon's additional research, published in Frontiers in Molecular Neuroscience, demonstrates that olfactory loss and chronic inflammation are linked to at least 139 medical conditions, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and depression. His studies suggest that maintaining and stimulating the brain's olfactory system through daily, controlled scent exposure may not only enhance memory, but also help counter the biological changes associated with memory loss and reduce chronic inflammation.

The launch of Memory Air represents the first commercial application of the science of olfactory enrichment, which has been validated in nearly 20 peer-reviewed trials. The company's mission is to translate cutting-edge findings in sensory neuroscience into practical tools that promote long-term cognitive health.

"Our goal was to take the latest research in neuroscience and make it effortless to use," said Alan Bernstein, co-founder and CEO of Science Lab 3. "With the launch of Memory Air, we're giving people a simple, evidence-based way to care for and optimize their brain, one that fits naturally into their nightly routine. They can also track their own memory improvement right on the website."

Available for purchase at memoryair.com

ABOUT MEMORY AIR
Memory Air is made by Science Lab 3, a cognitive health company pioneering olfactory enrichment technology to improve brain function and quality of life. Designed and developed in California, Memory Air integrates 16 years of university-based neuroscience into a home-friendly device that stimulates memory-critical brain regions through targeted scent exposure. To learn more, visit memoryair.com.

ABOUT DR. MICHAEL LEON
Dr. Michael Leon is a Professor Emeritus of Neurobiology at the University of California, Irvine and is ranked among the top 1% of scientists globally by Stanford. Over 16 years, his research has focused on how sensory enrichment reshapes the brain. His peer-reviewed work on olfactory enrichment is published in Frontiers in Neuroscience and recognized among the top 1% most-viewed papers in the field. Dr. Leon is also affiliated with UCI's Center for the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory and the Institute for Memory Impairments and Neurological Disorders. With CEO Alan Bernstein, Dr. Leon founded Science Lab 3 in 2017 to make evidence-based cognitive health science accessible to the public.

DISCLAIMER: THIS PRODUCT IS INTENDED AS A GENERAL WELLNESS DEVICE FOR MENTAL ACUITY AND IS NOT A MEDICAL DEVICE CLEARED BY THE FDA. THIS DEVICE IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE, OR PREVENT DISEASE. STUDIES INDICATE THAT OLFACTORY ENRICHMENT CAN IMPROVE MEMORY IN SENIORS. MEMORY AIR IS DESIGNED BASED UPON OLFACTORY ENRICHMENT CONCEPTS WHICH MAY HELP REDUCE THE RISK OF MEMORY LOSS.

SOURCE Science Lab 3, Inc.