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Body odor samples from infants and post-pubertal children differ in their volatile profiles
Diana Owsienko1, Lisa Goppelt1, Katharina Hierl2
1Chair of Aroma and Smell Research, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Erlangen, Germany.
Communications Chemistry
|March 22, 2024
Summary
Body odor chemical composition changes with sexual maturation, impacting parent-child communication. Researchers analyzed infant and adolescent body odors to understand these developmental scent shifts.
Area of Science:
- Human chemical ecology
- Developmental biology
- Olfactory communication
Background:
- Body odors evolve during development, influencing parent-child interactions.
- The specific molecular changes driving these scent shifts remain largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To elucidate the molecular basis of body odor changes during human development.
- To compare the chemical profiles of body odors between infants and post-pubertal adolescents.
Main Methods:
- Combined instrumental analysis (gas chromatography-mass spectrometry) and sensory analysis.
- Quantified specific volatile organic compounds, including carboxylic acids, steroids, 6-methylhept-5-en-2-one (6MHO), geranyl acetone (GA), and squalene (SQ).
Main Results:
- Body odor composition shows similarities between infants and post-pubertal children.
- Post-pubertal individuals exhibit higher odor dilution factors for carboxylic acids.
- Specific steroids (5α-androst-16-en-3-one and 5α-androst-16-en-3α-ol) are present in post-pubertal samples.
- Squalene concentrations are higher in post-pubertal children, while 6MHO and GA levels are similar across age groups.
Conclusions:
- Sexual maturation is associated with distinct alterations in body odor chemistry.
- Further research is needed to determine if these chemical changes explain variations in parental olfactory perception.
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