To study the effects of bergamot oil on relieving anxiety and improving cognitive ability in autistic rats,a model of autism of SD rats were established.GC-MS method was used to analyze the volatile chemical constituents of the bergamot oil.The offspring of the model group were used in the essential oil function evaluation study.The offspring received the essential oil or control treatment by inhalational ways.The effects of bergamot oil odor were evaluated by behavioral experiments,the changes of neurotransmitters in different brain regions were also detected.The results showed that the bergamot essential oil could significantly increase the total distance and central area exploration time of the rats in open field tests,as well as the percentage of entries into the open arms in the elevated plus maze tests compared to the control treatment.In the three-chambered social test and Morris water maze test,the bergamot essential oil treated group showed an improvement in social and cognitive abilities,but did not show significant differences compared to the control treatment group.Compared to the control treatment,the bergamot essential oil treatment reduced the content of dopamine and 5-hydroxy tryptamine in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex,and increased the relative metabolic rate of dopamine in the hippocampus and the relative metabolic rate of 5-hydroxy tryptamine in the prefrontal cortex.In a conclusion,bergamot oil showed anti-anxiety effects in the autism model.The effects might be related to the regulation of 5-hydroxy tryptamine and dopamine in hippocampus and prefrontal cortex.