title: Salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol among pentecostals on a worship and nonworship day.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anthropology, The University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, Alabama 35487, USA. cdlynn@ua.edu
authors.forename: Christopher Dana
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Lynn
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: Cheryl Anne
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Frye
authors.forename: Lawrence M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Schell
mesh_terms: D002835:Christianity; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis*; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000523:psychology; D000516:alpha-Amylases / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D000516:alpha-Amylases; D006854:Hydrocortisone