title: Norepinephrine transporter blocker atomoxetine increases salivary alpha amylase.
abstract: It has been suggested that central norepinephrine (NE) activity may be inferred from increases in salivary alpha-amylase (SAA), but data in favor of this proposition are limited. We administered 40mg of atomoxetine, a selective NE transporter blocker that increases central NE levels, to 24 healthy adult participants in a double-blind, placebo-controlled cross-over design. Atomoxetine administration significantly increased SAA secretion and concentrations at 75-180min after treatment (more than doubling baseline levels). Consistent with evidence that elevation in central NE is a co-determinant of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity, salivary cortisol also approximately doubled at the same time points. Moreover, changes in salivary cortisol positively correlated with SAA (0.44<rho<0.56), bolstering the position that the origin of the changes in SAA reflect central NE. This work points toward the potential value of SAA as an inexpensive and non-invasive procedure to obtain information about activation of the central NE system.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RC, Netherlands. Electronic address: c.m.warren@fsw.leidenuniv.nl.
authors.forename: Christopher M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Warren
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RC, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ruud L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: van den Brink
authors.affiliation: Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden 2333 AK, Netherlands; Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, Leiden 2300 RC, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Sander
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nieuwenhuis
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1018 WT, Netherlands; Mannheim Institute of Public Health, Heidelberg University, Mannheim 68167, Germany; Department of Medical Psychology, Academic Medical Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam, 1105 AZ, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jos A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Bosch
mesh_terms: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000328:Adult; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000032:analysis; D007030:Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D010913:Pituitary-Adrenal System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012463:Saliva / Q000737:chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D055291:Salivary alpha-Amylases / Q000032:analysis*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D018759:Adrenergic Uptake Inhibitors; D000069445:Atomoxetine Hydrochloride; D055291:Salivary alpha-Amylases; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: Alpha amylase; Atomoxetine; Locus-coeruleus; Noradrenaline; Noradrenergic; Sympathetic; Yohimbine