title: Relative changes in salivary Na+ and K+ concentrations relating to stress induction.
abstract: Three independent studies are reported in which periods of "relaxation" (A) and presumed stressors (B) were given to female students in an ABA design. The "stressors" were: (1) obligatory time-wasting activity; (2) a mental "IQ" test; and (3) delivering a speech. Saliva was collected immediately after "relaxation" and "stress" periods. "Stress" and "arousal" state were retrospectively assessed in experiments (1) and (2) by subject self-rating and in experiment 1 also by trained observers for the periods A and B. The molar [K+/Na+] ratio was determined for each saliva sample. The prediction that [K+/Na+] would increase with stress induction was supported by statistically significant results with stressors 1 and 2 (p less than 0.01), but speech delivery (3) resulted in a significant rise of [K+/Na+] after the stressor period. Correlations between [K+/Na+] and "stress" and "arousal" ratings also substantiated the prediction.
authors.affiliation: Psychology Department, University of Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hinton
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Burton
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rotheiler
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shewan
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gemmell
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Berry
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gibson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D011939:Mental Recall / Q000502:physiology; D009042:Motivation; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium