title: Salivary alpha amylase levels under conditions of extreme examination stress.
abstract: 11 healthy adult graduate students were studied on two separate occasions 2 wk. apart at the same time of day. Self-rating of perceived stress and serial measurements of salivary alpha-amylase levels were performed at T1 = 15 min. before, T2 = 1 min. before, T3 = 1 min. after, and T4 = 15 min. after an event. The events were a highly stressful master's degree oral examination on the first occasion and 15 min. of typing on a computer on the second occasion as a control activity. A kinetic assay was used to estimate salivary alpha-amylase activity. Students rated higher stress on the oral examination day, and their salivary alpha-amylase activity was higher during the oral examination period than on the second less stressful control day.
authors.affiliation: Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ng
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000201:enzymology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000201:enzymology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000516:alpha-Amylases