Whilst the anxiolytic & anti-depressant efficacy of incensole acetate in this study is evident in this study, there maybe 100s of additional chemicals derived from incense burning. Some of these may well be respiratory irritants &/or carcinogenic in nature.

Depressed mice: straight answer is I don’t know the exact details, but assume they have animal behaviour models that replicate some of the known physiological processes (e.g. presumably incl. dopaminergic neurotransmission, known to be affected in human depression) & behavioural traits (e.g. apathy – no kidding – something as simple as measuring an environmental interaction like duration, repeat visits, etc. to a running wheel). As the name suggests it is only a model &, as mentioned in the article, some models are better than others (e.g. basic/primal responses such as fear & pain are often replicated well, but higher cognitive processes such as depression can be more problematic, but still behavioural scientists have good data suggesting good approximations in their model studies). If you’re really interested it’ll all be fully disclosed & defined in the Methods section of the paper – but reading the minutiae of methods of scientific paper is a sure-fire way to head towards the poisoned cheese.

All this – incensole acetate/&rsehole meditate or otherwise – highlights the scientific method of observation based, empirical & rational thought used to define the world around us. It’s not always perfect, but personally think it is still the best methodology we have developed so far. And from it something like incense burning, that i’d previously prejudicially lumped in with so much other spiritual hokum, can have a biochemical & physiological basis & provides one strand of evidence to explain for why it has become so important in many religious & ritualistic ceremonies.

Also how exactly do they pre-depress the mouse. Do they put a Coldplay CD? Force them to watch Big Brother? Make them use British public transport? Force them to sit next to a new age Christian on a 12 hour flight? Ramble on about Reiki, meditation, an other complete bunch of new age arse? What is the latest in depressing mice?
These boffins have too much time on their hands and should get out more.

As for incensole acetate, hate the stuff sounds like arsehole meditates. Its for lavender clutching, right wing Tory voting arses who want everyone to think they’re a hippy and new age but really couldn’t be further from it. Give me some quality dooby any day of the week (or weekend).
Think that about wraps it up.