BODI

The BODI study addresses the question of whether psychological distress is reflected in body odor even at subclinical levels. Body odors are influenced by hormonal processes, inflammatory responses, and emotional arousal—factors that also play a central role in mental health. In particular, people with depression often show elevated inflammatory markers in their blood.

In BODI, we examine both how others respond to the body odors of individuals with and without depressive symptoms, as well as inflammation and stress markers in the blood and the nasal microbiome. The aim of the study is to better understand the relationships between mental health, physiological processes, and olfactory signals.