title: Diurnal salivary alpha-amylase dynamics among dementia family caregivers.
abstract: The study examined diurnal regulation of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) in association with daily stressors, adult day services (ADS) use, and other caregiving characteristics.
  
  
  
  A sample of 165 family caregivers of individuals with dementia (IWD) completed an 8-day diary study. Caregivers provided 5 saliva samples across the 8 days. On some days, caregivers provided all or most of the care. On other days, their relative attended ADS for part of the day. A 3-level unconditional linear spline model was fit to describe the typical sAA diurnal rhythms. Predictors were then added to the unconditional model to test the hypotheses on ADS use and daily stressors.
  
  
  
  Daily ADS use did not have an effect on diurnal sAA regulation. However, controlling for daily ADS use, greater ADS use over the 8 days was associated with a more prominent rise between 30 min after wake-up and before lunch, and a more prominent decline between before lunch and late afternoon. Fewer ADS days were associated with a more flattened sAA diurnal rhythm. Additionally, greater daily care-related stressor exposures had a within-person association with lower sAA levels in the late afternoon. Care-related stressor exposures had significant within- and between-person associations with sAA diurnal slopes. Furthermore, daily positive experiences had a significant between-person association with sAA diurnal slopes.
  
  
  
  Caring for a disabled family member may heighten the vulnerability to potential physiological conditions. Respite from care stressors from ADS use may have some biobehavioral benefits on sAA regulations. (PsycINFO Database Record
authors: Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University.
authors: Yin
authors: Y
authors: Liu
authors: Institute for Interdisciplinary Salivary Bioscience Research, University of California Irvine.
authors: Douglas A
authors: DA
authors: Granger
authors: Department of Gerontology, University of Massachusetts Boston.
authors: Kyungmin
authors: 0000-0002-0135-4367
authors: K
authors: Kim
authors: Department of Biobehavioral Health, The Pennsylvania State University.
authors: Laura C
authors: LC
authors: Klein
authors: Center for Healthy Aging, The Pennsylvania State University.
authors: David M
authors: DM
authors: Almeida
authors: Department of Human Development and Family Studies, The Pennsylvania State University.
authors: Steven H
authors: SH
authors: Zarit
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017028:Caregivers / Q000523:psychology*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology*; D003704:Dementia / Q000451:nursing*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry; D055291:Salivary alpha-Amylases / Q000032:analysis*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology
chemical_list: D055291:Salivary alpha-Amylases