Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles
Abstract Body odors change during development, and this change influences the interpersonal communication between parents and their children. The molecular basis for this chemical communication has not been elucidated yet. Here, we show by combining instrumental and sensory analyses that the qualita...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Communications Chemistry |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01131-4 |
| _version_ | 1797247410948276224 |
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| author | Diana Owsienko Lisa Goppelt Katharina Hierl Laura Schäfer Ilona Croy Helene M. Loos |
| author_facet | Diana Owsienko Lisa Goppelt Katharina Hierl Laura Schäfer Ilona Croy Helene M. Loos |
| author_sort | Diana Owsienko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Body odors change during development, and this change influences the interpersonal communication between parents and their children. The molecular basis for this chemical communication has not been elucidated yet. Here, we show by combining instrumental and sensory analyses that the qualitative odorant composition of body odor samples is similar in infants (0-3 years) and post-pubertal children (14-18 years). The post-pubertal samples are characterized by higher odor dilution factors for carboxylic acids and by the presence of 5α-androst-16-en-3-one and 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol. In addition to the olfaction-guided approach, the compounds 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (6MHO), geranyl acetone (GA) and squalene (SQ) were quantified. Both age groups have similar concentrations of 6MHO and GA, whereas post-pubertal children tend to have higher concentration of SQ. In conclusion, sexual maturation coincides with changes to body odor chemical composition. Whether those changes explain differences in parental olfactory perception needs to be determined in future studies with model odors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:58:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-80d5b81e41e34a10b20ad89239848652 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2399-3669 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T19:58:16Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Communications Chemistry |
| spelling | doaj.art-80d5b81e41e34a10b20ad892398486522024-03-24T12:12:48ZengNature PortfolioCommunications Chemistry2399-36692024-03-017111010.1038/s42004-024-01131-4Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profilesDiana Owsienko0Lisa Goppelt1Katharina Hierl2Laura Schäfer3Ilona Croy4Helene M. Loos5Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Department of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Technical University of DresdenDepartment of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Technical University of DresdenDepartment of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Technical University of DresdenChair of Aroma and Smell Research, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU)Abstract Body odors change during development, and this change influences the interpersonal communication between parents and their children. The molecular basis for this chemical communication has not been elucidated yet. Here, we show by combining instrumental and sensory analyses that the qualitative odorant composition of body odor samples is similar in infants (0-3 years) and post-pubertal children (14-18 years). The post-pubertal samples are characterized by higher odor dilution factors for carboxylic acids and by the presence of 5α-androst-16-en-3-one and 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol. In addition to the olfaction-guided approach, the compounds 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (6MHO), geranyl acetone (GA) and squalene (SQ) were quantified. Both age groups have similar concentrations of 6MHO and GA, whereas post-pubertal children tend to have higher concentration of SQ. In conclusion, sexual maturation coincides with changes to body odor chemical composition. Whether those changes explain differences in parental olfactory perception needs to be determined in future studies with model odors.https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01131-4 |
| spellingShingle | Diana Owsienko Lisa Goppelt Katharina Hierl Laura Schäfer Ilona Croy Helene M. Loos Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles Communications Chemistry |
| title | Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles |
| title_full | Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles |
| title_fullStr | Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles |
| title_full_unstemmed | Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles |
| title_short | Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles |
| title_sort | body odor samples from infants and post pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s42004-024-01131-4 |
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