title: Changes in salivary [K+], [Na+] and [K+]/[Na+] with varied test demands.
abstract: It was hypothesised that choice reaction-time (CRT) testing would cause salivary [K+]/[Na+] to increase. Relative contributions of [K+] and [Na+] to ratio changes were investigated in 23 hypertensives and ten hospital staff. Changes in post-rest and post-test ionic concentrations and [K+]/[Na+], replicated earlier studies. Phasic [K+]/[Na+] changes were mainly due to [K+] changes. Significant increases in [K+] and decreases in [Na+] from a relaxed session, the day before CRT testing, to the testing session per se indicated test anticipation effects. In both groups, changes from pre-test "rest" to "on test" were significant only for [K+]. [K+] discriminated well between conditions in hypertensives. This was interpreted in terms of adaptive changes in sympathetic activation. Results show the robustness of salivary ion indices (especially of [K+]) as indicators of within-subject response to mental task demands.
authors.affiliation: Department of Work and Organizational Psychology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Technological University of Dresden, Germany.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Richter
authors.forename: J W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Hinton
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Meissner
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D007473:Ion Channels / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual / Q000502:physiology; D011188:Potassium / Q000378:metabolism*; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D007473:Ion Channels; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium