Salivary alpha-amylase levels and temporal discounting for primary reward under a simulated life-threatening condition.
OBJECTIVE
This study was aimed to examine the relationships between salivary alpha-amylase (sAA, a non-invasive biological marker of adrenergic activities) levels and hyperbolic discounting for primary reward under simulated life-threatening condition, which is of interest in psychoneuroendocrinology and neuroeconomics of visceral influences on behavior.


METHODS
We assessed degrees to which delayed primary reward (i.e., water) was discounted (hyperbolic discount rates) in 31 healthy male students. Participants' sAA were also assessed.


RESULTS
We observed a positive correlation between sAA and hyperbolic discounting for primary reward.


CONCLUSIONS
The result indicates that threat-induced visceral urge acutely prompts impulsivity in temporal discounting.
Takahashi
Taiki
T
Department of Behavioral Sciences, Faculty of Letters, Hokkaido University, Sapporo, 060-0810, Japan. taikitakahashi@gmail.com
Ikeda
Koki
K
Hasegawa
Toshikazu
T