Salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol among pentecostals on a worship and nonworship day.
OBJECTIVE
This investigation used a biomarker of sympathetic nervous system activity novel to biocultural research to test the hypothesis that engaging in religious worship activities would reduce baseline stress levels on a non-worship day among Pentecostals.


METHODS
As detailed in Lynn et al. (submitted for publication), stress was measured via salivary cortisol and α-amylase among 52 Apostolic Pentecostals in New York's mid-Hudson Valley. Saliva samples were collected at four predetermined times on consecutive Sundays and Mondays to establish diurnal profiles and compare days of worship and non-worship. These data were reanalyzed using separate analyses of covariance on α-amylase and cortisol to control for individual variation in Pentecostal behavior, effects of Sunday biomarkers on Monday, and other covariates.


RESULTS
There was a significant decrease in cortisol and an increase in α-amylase on a non-worship day compared with a service day. Models including engagement in Pentecostal worship behavior explained 62% of the change in non-service day cortisol and 73% of the change in non-service day α-amylase.


CONCLUSIONS
Engagement in Pentecostal worship may be associated with reductions in circulatory cortisol and enhancements in α-amylase activity.
Lynn
Christopher Dana
CD
Department of Anthropology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA. cdlynn@ua.edu
Paris
Jason
J
Frye
Cheryl Anne
CA
Schell
Lawrence M
LM
D002835:Christianity; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000032:analysis*
D000516:alpha-Amylases; D006854:Hydrocortisone