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Updated: Oct 3, 2025
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Capturing Actively Produced Microbial Volatile Organic Compounds from Human-Associated Samples with Vacuum-Assisted Sorbent Extraction
Published on: June 1, 2022
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Volatile organic compounds from exhaled breath in schizophrenia
Carina Jiang1, Henrik Dobrowolny1, Dorothee Maria Gescher1,2
1Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg (OVGU), Magdeburg, Germany.
Summary
Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath can distinguish schizophrenia patients from healthy individuals. Breath analysis shows promise for diagnosing schizophrenia with high accuracy using machine learning algorithms.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Psychiatry
- Analytical Chemistry
Background:
- Schizophrenia diagnosis relies on clinical symptoms, lacking objective biomarkers.
- Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in exhaled breath may offer novel diagnostic insights.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate differences in exhaled VOCs between schizophrenia patients and healthy controls.
- To develop a predictive algorithm for schizophrenia using breath VOC profiles.
Main Methods:
- Breath samples collected from schizophrenia patients and healthy controls at multiple time points.
- VOCs analyzed using Proton-Transfer-Reaction Mass Spectrometry (PTR-MS).
- Statistical analysis including bootstrap mixed-model analysis and machine learning (bartMachine).
Main Results:
- Ten specific VOC signatures (m/z 39, 40, 59, 60, 69, 70, 74, 85, 88, 90) were significantly reduced in schizophrenia patients.
- These VOCs effectively discriminated between patients and controls, independent of smoking status.
- Machine learning achieved high accuracy (91%) and AUC (0.96) in predicting schizophrenia.
Conclusions:
- Exhaled breath VOC analysis is a feasible and well-tolerated method.
- Breath VOC profiles show potential as a diagnostic and predictive tool for schizophrenia.
- Further research is warranted to explore the clinical utility of breath gas analysis in psychiatry.
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