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Mental stress objective screening for workers using urinary neurotransmitters
Kazuhiro Tanabe1,2, Asaka Yokota1
1Medical Solution Promotion Department, Medical Solution Segment, LSI Medience Corporation, Tokyo, Japan.
Plos One
|September 8, 2023
Summary
Urinary neurotransmitters like dopamine can indicate high mental stress in workers. Lower levels of these compounds in urine may signal increased stress, aiding early detection and intervention for mental well-being.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Neuroscience
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Mental disorders like depression and anxiety affect nearly 10% of the population.
- High stress levels are a significant risk factor for developing mental health conditions.
- Early detection and management of mental stress are crucial to prevent the onset of disorders.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an objective screening test for quantifying mental stress in workers.
- To enable early recognition and mitigation of stress before it leads to mental disorders.
- To identify reliable biomarkers for mental stress.
Main Methods:
- Collected urine samples from 100 healthy volunteers.
- Administered the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ) to assess stress levels.
- Analyzed six urinary neurotransmitters (dopamine, serotonin, 5-HIAA, GABA, HVA, VMA) using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.
- Compared neurotransmitter levels between high-stress and low-stress groups.
Main Results:
- Significantly lower levels of urinary dopamine and homovanillic acid (HVA) were observed in the high-stress group.
- A stress index derived from neurotransmitter concentrations effectively identified individuals in the high-stress group.
- Urinary neurotransmitter levels correlated with specific stress factors like dissatisfaction, fatigue, and worry.
Conclusions:
- Urinary neurotransmitters show promise as objective indicators of underlying mental stress.
- This research supports the development of screening tests for mental stress in workers.
- Findings may inform the development of screening tools for individuals at risk of depression.
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