A team of CNRS scientists has pinpointed the brain mechanisms behind the famous “Proust’s madeleine” phenomenon, in which smells bring back vivid, emotional memories.

This work, published in PLOS Biology on July 14, 2026, shows that early-life olfactory experiences leave a lasting impression on the brain, capable of reactivating the context and emotions associated with that memory throughout our lives.

The neuroscientists revealed the central role played by neurons in the olfactory bulb, an area of the brain that continues to develop during childhood. When these neurons are reactivated in adulthood by odors we experienced in childhood, they activate cerebral circuits involved in both memory and reward.