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TL;DR
A three-VOC combination (dimethyl sulfone, phenethyl isothiocyanate, hexanoic acid) was associated with depression severity, while a two-VOC combination (texanol and texanol isomer) was associated with frailty status.
Discover Mental Health · 10 authors, 8 centres
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A three-VOC combination (dimethyl sulfone, phenethyl isothiocyanate, hexanoic acid) was associated with depression severity, while a two-VOC combination (texanol and texanol isomer) was associated with frailty status.
This pilot study applied GC–MS analysis of urinary VOCs volatilized at 45 °C in elderly participants to identify biomarkers for late-life major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety/agoraphobia, and frailty. Twenty VOCs were nominated, of which six showed statistical significance as potential biomarkers. Using ROC curve analysis and Pearson's bivariate correlations, the authors identified two multi-VOC combinations: a group of three VOCs (dimethyl sulfone, phenethyl isothiocyanate, hexanoic acid) strongly associated with GRID-HAMD depression scores, and another group (texanol and texanol isomer) strongly related to Kihon CL frailty scores. Participants with MDD and/or agoraphobia symptoms had an average Kihon CL score of 7.2, exceeding the frailty cut-off of five. The authors propose metabolic pathways linking these VOCs to methionine metabolism, cytochrome P450 inactivation, and the gut microbiota–HPA axis. The small sample size limits generalizability, and performance validation in larger cohorts is needed.