title: Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) fingerprint of Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a profoundly life changing condition and once diagnosis occurs, this is typically at a relatively late stage into the disease process. Therefore, a shift to earlier diagnosis, which means several decades before the onset of the typical manifestation of the disease, will be an important step forward for the patient. A promising diagnostic and screening tool to answer this purpose is represented by breath and exhaled volatile organic compounds (VOCs) analysis. In fact, human exhaled breath contains several thousand of VOCs that vary in abundance and number in correlation with the physiological status. The exhaled VOCs reflect the metabolism, including the neuronal ones, in healthy and pathological conditions. A growing number of studies clearly demonstrate the effectiveness of VOCs analysis in identifying pathologies, including neurodegenerative diseases. In the present study we recorded, in real time, breath parameters and exhaled VOCs. We were able to demonstrate a significant alteration in breath parameters induced by the pathology of AD. Further, we provide the putative VOCs fingerprint of AD. These vital findings are an important step toward the early diagnosis of AD.
authors.affiliation: Physiology and Physiopathology Section, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University of Chieti-Pescara 'G. d'Annunzio', Chieti, Italy; Neuroscience Institute, CNR-Pisa; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Neurology, Pisa University Medical School, Pisa, Italy. Electronic address: amazzatenta@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mazzatenta
authors.affiliation: Public Higher Medical Professional School, Opole, Poland; Institute of Psychology, Opole University, Opole, Poland.
authors.forename: Mieczyslaw
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pokorski
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, CNR-Pisa; Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Unit of Neurology, Pisa University Medical School, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Ferdinando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Sartucci
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Institute, CNR-Pisa; Department of Applied Clinical Sciences and Biotechnology (DUSCAB), School of Medicine University of l'Aquila, l'Aquila, Italy.
authors.forename: Luciano
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Domenici
authors.affiliation: Physiology and Physiopathology Section, Department of Neuroscience, Imaging and Clinical Science, University of Chieti-Pescara 'G. d'Annunzio', Chieti, Italy.
authors.forename: Camillo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Di Giulio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D001944:Breath Tests / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D056152:Respiratory Rate; D013997:Time Factors; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D055549:Volatile Organic Compounds
keywords: Alzheimer's disease; Breath analysis; Neurodegenerative disease; VOC fingerprint; VOC real time analysis; Volatile organic compounds (VOCs)