Abstract
Salivary cortisol measurement has proved useful for the non-invasive study of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis, and salivary alpha-amylase has been suggested as a comparable marker for the sympathetic system. Despite some studies showing an increase in salivary alpha-amylase after challenges that stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, questions remain about interpretation. The aims of this study were to explore the stability of salivary alpha-amylase, its diurnal profile, response to the cold hand test, and correlation with cortisol. Salivary alpha-amylase was stable following 5 days at room temperature, and five freeze-thaw cycles. Its diurnal profile was opposite to that of cortisol. There was no salivary alpha-amylase response to the cold hand stress test, in the morning (11am) or afternoon (3pm), unlike cortisol which showed a response in the afternoon in the same samples. There was no correlation between salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol at any time. In conclusion, salivary alpha-amylase is stable to a range of conditions. Its diurnal pattern is compatible with sympathetic stimulation. Lack of response to the cold hand test suggests that secretion of salivary alpha-amylase is controlled by mechanisms more complex than sympathetic regulation alone.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 549-54 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands) |
| Volume | 12 |
| Issue number | 6 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Nov 2009 |
Keywords
- Adult
- Circadian Rhythm
- Cold Temperature
- Enzyme Stability
- Female
- Humans
- Hydrocortisone
- Saliva
- Salivary alpha-Amylases
- Stress, Psychological
- Sympathetic Nervous System