| Title: | Volatile signals during pregnancy: a possible chemical basis for mother-infant recognition |
| Author(s): | Vaglio S; Minicozzi P; Bonometti E; Mello G; Chiarelli B; |
| Address: | "Department of Evolutionary Biology 'Leo Pardi', University of Florence, Italy. stefano.vaglio@unifi.it" |
| DOI: | 10.1007/s10886-008-9573-5 |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 1573-1561 (Electronic) 0098-0331 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Human pheromones play a role in regulating relationships and apparently influence partner choice and mother-infant recognition. We analyzed the chemical content of volatiles from sweat patch samples from the para-axillary and nipple-areola regions of women during pregnancy and after childbirth. Solid phase microextraction was used to extract the volatile compounds, which were then characterized and quantified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. During pregnancy, women developed a distinctive pattern of five volatile compounds common to the para-axillary and nipple-areola regions (1-dodecanol, 1-1'-oxybis octane, isocurcumenol, alpha-hexyl-cinnamic aldehyde, and isopropyl myristate). These compounds were absent outside pregnancy and had slightly different patterns in samples from the two body areas. Differentiation of the volatile patterns among pregnant women may help newborns to distinguish their own mothers" |
| Keywords: | "Adult Female Food Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Humans Lactation Menstrual Cycle Parturition Pheromones, Human/*isolation & purification *Pregnancy Sweat/*chemistry Time Factors Volatile Organic Compounds/*isolation & purification;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineVaglio, Stefano Minicozzi, Pamela Bonometti, Elisabetta Mello, Giorgio Chiarelli, Brunetto eng Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't 2008/12/11 J Chem Ecol. 2009 Jan; 35(1):131-9. doi: 10.1007/s10886-008-9573-5. Epub 2008 Dec 10" |
