title: Human salivary alpha-amylase reactivity in a psychosocial stress paradigm.
abstract: Biological indicators for stress reactions are valuable markers in psychophysiological research and clinical practice. Since the release of salivary enzyme alpha-amylase was reported to react to physiological and psychological stressors, we set out to investigate human salivary alpha-amylase changes employing a reliable laboratory stress protocol to investigate the reactivity of salivary alpha-amylase to a brief period of psychosocial stress. In a within-subject repeated-measures design, 24 healthy adults were exposed to the TSST and a control condition on separate days with randomized sequence. Salivary alpha-amylase, salivary cortisol and heart rate were repeatedly measured before, during and after both conditions. Significant differences between psychosocial stress and the rest condition in alpha-amylase activity [F(3.74,86.06)=4.52; P=0.003], cortisol levels [F(4.21,88.32)=12.48; P<0.001] and heart rate [F(1,22)=81.15; P<0.001] were observed, with marked increases before and after stress. The data corroborate findings from other studies that showed increased levels of alpha-amylase before and after psychological stress. We discuss the role of salivary alpha-amylase as a promising candidate for a reliable, noninvasive marker of psychosocial stress.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Zürich, Zürichbergstr. 43, CH-8044 Zürich, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Urs M
authors.initials: UM
authors.lastname: Nater
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Rohleder
authors.forename: Jens
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gaab
authors.forename: Simona
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Berger
authors.forename: Andreas
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jud
authors.forename: Clemens
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kirschbaum
authors.forename: Ulrike
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ehlert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004789:Enzyme Activation / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology*; D012472:Salivation / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000523:psychology; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000516:alpha-Amylases