Salivary Alpha-amylase Levels Research Articles

The Use of Coffee Aroma for Stress Reduction in Postgraduate Dental Students

ObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the measure to reduce academic stress of graded oral presentation in postgraduate dental students using coffee aromatherapy. MethodsHealthy postgraduate dental students in a seminar class were divided into coffee (n = 32) or control (n = 26) group. There were three modes of aroma distribution: personal distribution with a coffee pad attached to a lanyard, a lanyard plus a personal fan for ventilation of the aroma, and the typical method of the diffuser to spread the aroma in the ambient air. The levels of salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), cortisol (sCort), and chromogranin A (sCgA) represented stress biomarkers. Pulse rates were also measured. ResultsThe levels of sAA increased 176.62 ± 30.26% between pre- and post-presentation in the control group. Inhaling coffee aroma during the presentation period significantly ameliorated sAA increase at 81.02 ± 14.90% (p = 0.015). sCort levels tended to decrease in the coffee group but not significantly. Surprisingly, sCgA levels actually increased more in the coffee group. Also, pulse rates decreased in the coffee group (-2.07 ± 2.81 bpm) and increased in the control group (6.90 ± 3.22 bpm; p = 0.035). Subgroup analysis did not reveal differences in salivary markers among three aroma distribution modes. ConclusionsCoffee aroma could have anxiolytic effect on postgraduate dental students as evidenced by sAA levels and pulse rates. Personal aroma distribution was also a useful and effective mode of aromatherapy.

A Determination of Salivary and Serum Glucose Levels in Patients With Type II Diabetes Mellitus.

The aim of this work was to determine and compare serum and salivary glucose levels in patients with type II diabetes mellitus (DM). This study had an overall sample size of 100, which consisted of male and female volunteers aged 30-67 years. Both in-depth interviews and physical tests were conducted. Blood and saliva were collected from the participants while fasting, which were analyzed to determine the levels of salivary alpha-amylase (α-amylase). Both the subjects and the controls were instructed to test their blood glucose levels while fasting and it was suggested that HbA1c values will be used for diagnosing diabetes following the guidelines of the American Diabetes Association, Centers for Disease Control, and World Health Organization. The average age of the control group (Category A) was noted as 47.52±6.28 years, and that of the study group (Category B) was 49.17±7.25 years. In Category A, female (n=23) were 46%, and 54% were male (n=27); and 40% of the people in Category B were female (n=20), and 60% were male (n=30). The majority of patients (54%) in Category B displayed an average level of DM control (n=27), followed by poor control (24%. n=12), well-controlled (20%, n=10), anduncontrolled DM (2%, n=1). Category A had an average salivary α-amylase concentration of 3.1±0.88 U/L, whereas that of Category B was 12.06±2.36 U/L. Thus, the mean salivary α-amylase level of Category B was found to be much higher than that of Category A, and this difference was statistically significant (p<0.001). The determination of α-amylase levels in the saliva of individuals suspected of having type II DM has been suggested as a potential diagnostic method. Screenings conducted at healthcare institutions and community health fairs, as well as epidemiological studies, might benefit from this method. We believe that normal clinical practice should include the use of saliva in a broad variety of diagnostic tests.

Enteric Dysbiosis in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Associated Response to Stress.

Background Microbiome studies in humans, though limited, have facilitated the evaluation of the potential connection between the microbiome and brain function. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have several behavioral challenges and avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder, which may contribute to gut microbiome dysbiosis. Aim The aim of this study is to examine the extent to which the gut microbiome of children with ASD differs in comparison to children with neurotypical development (CWND) and to assess whether a probiotic intervention has the potential to influence the gut microbiome in mediating positive behavior change and stress regulation. Methods This pilot study collected data from three children with ASD and four CWND before and after a four-week probiotic intervention. Data collection included microbiome diversity screening from stool samples as well as the following biophysiological measures: salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels, response to simulated stressor and calming stimulus (behavior), including pulse rate, galvanic skin response, and pupil diameter (PD). In addition, telomere length was assessed. All measures, except for telomere length, were repeated after the four-week intervention on the ASD and CWND groups for pre-/post-comparison. Data analysis consisted of multivariate analyses, including ANOVA. Results While greater heterogeneity in the ASD group was evident in all measures, the gut microbiome of participants who received probiotic intervention differed from pretreatment results within and across the groups investigated. Further, the biophysiological parameter sAA displayed a significant increase between baseline and exposure to stress in both groups, whereas PD increased in both groups from baseline,F(11, 26615) = 123.43, p = 0.00. Conclusion Though gut microbiome diversity is diminished in children with ASD compared to CWND, the gap is narrowed following a brief probiotic intervention. The results suggest that probiotic interventions have the potential to rescue microbiome diversity and abundance, potentially supporting stress regulation in pediatric populations.

Trends in waking salivary alpha-amylase levels following healing lucid dreams.

Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) is considered a marker of autonomic nervous system activity in stress research, and atypical waking sAA responses have been reported for traumatized individuals. Lucid dreams, characterized by a dreamer's awareness of their dream state while remaining asleep, have shown promising preliminary evidence of their potential to enhance mental health. This study's objective was to evaluate sAA in relation to healing lucid dreams. Participants experiencing PTSD symptoms attended a six-day workshop delivered via live video designed to teach techniques for transforming trauma through dreamwork and dream lucidity. Participants (n = 20) collected saliva samples each morning, immediately upon awakening (Time 1) and 30 min afterward (Time 2). sAA levels were determined by enzymatic assay, and the waking sAA slope was calculated as the difference of Time 2 minus Time 1. Participants completed dream reports each morning, with a dream classified as a 'healing lucid dream' when they reported attaining lucidity and remembered their intention to manifest a healing experience within the dreamscape. Of eight participants experiencing healing lucid dreams, four were able to provide usable saliva samples. Statistical tests on these four participants were not significant because of low power. However, nonsignificant positive associations were observed between experiencing more healing lucid dreams and increased waking sAA slope. The results did not reveal a consistent effect of healing lucid dreams on waking sAA slope. Identifying meaningful patterns in this relationship will require larger samples and more stringent control over saliva collection procedures in future studies.

Relationship Between Stress And Alpha Amylase Levels Among Presenters

Background: Stress occurs when the internal homeostasis is disrupted by external environmental stressors. Salivary Alpha Amylase (sAA) levels are increased in response to stress, and it is frequently used as a biomarker of stress. Aims: To determine the relationship between stress and alpha-amylase levels among presenters by the difference in levels scored in pre and post presentation. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted to achieve the objectives of the study and was achieved to determine the association between stress and salivary alpha amylase levels for presenters during the period from 10th. Jan, 2022 to Jan, 20th. Mar, 2022. The study was conducted by selecting a typical form of non-probability (Purposive) sample. The size of the sample of 70 participants was included in the study. Results: The relationship between stress and the level of alpha amylase concentration was low in post presentation in comparison with pre presentation (0.11±0.03) and (0.13±0.02) respectively. This result was statistically highly significant according to paired t-test and the P-value was &lt; 0.001. Furthermore, the level of Alpha amylase activity was low in post presentation in comparison with pre presentation (289658.5±76490.7) and (321693.9±52219.2) respectively. This result was statistically highly significant according to paired one group t-test and the P-value was&lt;=0.0001. Conclusion: It was concluded Stress was elevated in the post-presentation in compare with the pre-presentation. and the levels of alpha amylase were affected by the presenters’ age groups.

Evaluation of salivary alpha amylase activity in smokers with periodontitis, Khartoum state, 2023

Introduction and aim. Smoking widely affect oral health, including its role in the development of periodontitis. Saliva contains an antioxidant system and various enzymes. The study was designed to evaluate the activity of salivary alpha amylase among individuals who smoke and have periodontitis. Material and methods. A total of 100 participants were included, with 50 cases (cigarette smokers with periodontitis) and the remaining 50 nonsmokers with healthy periodontium as the control group. Saliva samples were collected to measure salivary alpha amylase activity. Results. Smokers with periodontitis had significantly higher levels of salivary alpha amylase compared to the control group (177.96±14.5 vs 94.04±19.6 IU/mL, p&lt;0.001). Additionally, there was a weak negative correlation between the level of alpha amylase and the age of the patients (p=0.01, r=0.376). However, no correlation was found between the level of alpha amylase and the duration of smoking (p=0.584, r=0.079). Conclusion. There is a significant increase in salivary alpha amylase levels among smokers with periodontitis. No correlation was found between age and salivary alpha amylase levels. However, a weak positive correlation was observed between the duration of smoking and salivary alpha amylase activity.

Effects of a Virtual Reality Game on Children's Anxiety During Dental Procedures (VR-TOOTH): Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Dental fear and anxiety (DFA) is a condition that affects approximately one-quarter of children and adolescents. It is a significant cause for pediatric patients to avoid dental care later in adulthood. Lack of patient cooperation due to DFA can create an environment of stress, often obligating dentists to end appointments prematurely and consider alternative pharmacological treatment options. Virtual reality (VR) use during dental care, providing an immersive experience through sensory stimuli, is potentially an additional nonpharmacologic tool to better manage DFA in children with special health care needs (SHCN) undergoing dental procedures. This pilot study aims to assess the feasibility and acceptability of VR immersion as a tool to reduce DFA in pediatric special needs patients undergoing dental procedures. The study also aims to gain insight on parent and health care provider perspectives on the use of VR during dental appointments. This pilot randomized controlled trial study will follow a parallel design including 2 groups: a control group (clinic's standard care using a wall TV) and an experimental group (using a VR game). We will randomize 20 participants to either group. Recruitment will be carried out at the dental clinic of the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Sainte-Justine, a tertiary-quaternary care center that mostly serves pediatric patients with SHCN. The primary outcome will be patient recruitment rates and completion rates of planned procedures. DFA in children will be assessed using both an observation-based proxy assessment with the Venham Anxiety and Behavior Rating Scale and physiological assessments using parameters such as change in heart rate and levels of salivary alpha-amylase as a stress biomarker before and 10 minutes after the procedure. Sociodemographic characteristics, measures of the levels of parent and health care professional satisfaction, occurrence of side effects, and any deviation from normal procedure length will also be collected. Descriptive statistics, nonparametric tests, and effect sizes will be used for demographic and clinical variables and to present parent and health care professional satisfaction levels as well as procedural time. This study will be conducted from May 2023 to May 2024, with results expected to be available in December 2024. The pilot study will provide insight on the feasibility and acceptability of VR use in clinical dentistry to reduce DFA for pediatric patients with SHCN. This study will guide future research on VR use in pediatric dentistry and can serve as a framework for a larger randomized clinical trial. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05898100; https://classic.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT05898100. DERR1-10.2196/49956.

Indicators of surgical stress and influence of clinical experience, simulation models, and cadaveric laboratory on the stress response of third-year veterinary students performing first elective surgery.

To evaluate the role of simulation models and previous surgical experience on subjective and objective stress levels of students performing their 1st elective surgery within the veterinary curriculum. 141 third-year veterinary students. Using a pre-post experimental design, salivary alpha-amylase, and cortisol were evaluated as markers of physiologic stress response before students' first elective surgery. Student self-reported State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores and quantitative measures of experience were correlated to biomarker results. No association was found for change in salivary biomarkers of stress, alpha-amylase, and cortisol, between baseline and presurgical samples accounting for gender, age, type of elective surgery performed, previous surgical experience, or simulation model use. Salivary cortisol levels were markedly elevated falling between the 66th and 99th percentile compared to an age and gender-matched population. Salivary alpha-amylase levels were also 2 to 3 times higher than those recorded by other health professionals. Veterinary student STAI scores were high falling between the 65th and 73rd percentile compared to working adults in the general population. Veterinary students' salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and STAI scores fell into the upper 2/3rds of the general population, demonstrating a high level of stress. Simulation models and previous surgical experience were not associated with decreased stress. Further evaluation of the implementation of high-fidelity simulation models and the role of stress on performance is indicated.

Clinical correlation of salivary alpha-amylase levels with pain intensity in patients undergoing emergency endodontic treatment

BackgroundPain is usually subjective and thus it is challenging to describe its characteristics such as nature, intensity, and origin. Non-invasive methods such as assessing salivary alpha-amylase (SAA) may aid the practitioner to evaluate the pain intensity. Hence, the current study aimed to correlate the levels of SAA with the pain intensity in patients presenting with varied endodontic pain levels.MethodsSixty patients who presented with varied intensities of endodontic pain were selected for the present study out of which seven patients were excluded/dropped, leaving a total sample of fifty-five patients for assessment. Mandibular molar with symptomatic irreversible pulpitis without periapical pathology were included in the study. A 5ml of un-stimulated was obtained from the patients, following which the local anesthesia was administered. Root canal treatment was then performed and the pain scores at pre-operative and post-operative were recorded. Additionally, salivary samples were collected after emergency endodontic treatment and sent for sialochemical analysis. IBM.SPSS statistics software 23.0 was employed to assess the obtained data.ResultsA statistically significant drop in the pain score (P < 0.001) and SAA levels (P < 0.001) were observed post-operatively in the contract to pre-operative state. A strong positive correlation was reported between SAA levels and pain scores in patients undergoing emergency endodontic treatment at both time intervals namely pre-operative (P < 0.001) and post-operative (P < 0.001).ConclusionThe results of this preliminary showed a strong association between the pain score and SAA levels in patients undergoing an emergency endodontic treatment.

Biological stress responses to multitasking and work interruptions: A randomized controlled trial

In the course of digitalization, new stressors are emerging. In modern working and living environments, two ubiquitous, technology-mediated stressors are multitasking demands and work interruptions. However, biological stress response patterns to multitasking and work interruptions have been sparsely investigated so far. We thus aimed to comprehensively assess biological stress response patterns to both stressors and, additionally, test whether responses differ between digital and partially non-digital settings. A controlled experimental set-up was established and humans’ biological markers of the Sympathetic Nervous System (SNS), the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis, and the immune system were assessed. N = 186 healthy participants (mean age: 23.2 ± 4.3 years, 74.7% female, body mass-index: 22.3 ± 3.1 kg/m2) took part in this pre-registered study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of 6 experimental conditions (1 digital single-task, 3 dual-tasks [2 parallel tasks and 1 interruption], 1 multitasking, and 1 passive, control condition). Each one of the dual-tasking as well as the multitasking conditions included a non-digital sub-task, i.e., performing a task in presence of an examiner. All other conditions involved digital tasks only. Salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels as a marker for SNS reactivity significantly changed in work interruptions, parallel dual-tasking, and multitasking conditions. No changes were found for control conditions. Furthermore, no significant changes over time and no differences between the conditions were identified for three biological markers: cortisol as marker for HPA axis activity as well as for two immune system markers (secretory Immunoglobulin-A, C-reactive protein). A time course similar to sAA was found for perceived stress: with increases during task execution and decreases afterwards in multitasking and parallel dual-tasking. Yet, it did not change for the work interruption, passive control, and single-tasking condition. Overall, our findings show that dual- and multitasking are perceived as stressful and are associated with an activation of the SNS, but not with responses of HPA axis or immune system. This was consistent for digital as well as partially digital task demands. Our findings will also inform future research into the differential stress effects of digital and non-digital tasks to advance our understanding of biological stress response-patterns to multitasking and work interruptions. Therefore, our findings are highly relevant for understanding the long-term biological health effects of stress in modern (digitalized) environments.

Effect of transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation on stress-reactive neuroendocrine measures in a sample of persons with temporal lobe epilepsy.

Dysregulation of stress-reactive neuroendocrine measures, as well as subjective stress, have been found to worsen epilepsy. Transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation (tVNS) is a relatively new treatment option for epilepsy. We were interested in its effect on the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and autonomic nervous system (ANS) as well as subjective stress and tiredness in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Twenty patients (age 44 ± 11 years, 13 women) were enrolled in the study. They were free of seizures for more than 1 year. All took part in two sessions with 4 h of stimulation (tVNS vs. sham) in a randomized order. Saliva samples and subjective stress and tiredness levels were measured at five time points each session (before and after stimulation and three time points every hour in between). Data were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of variance as well as paired t-tests. There was a dampened salivary cortisol (sCort) decrease during tVNS (time × condition effect: F[2.38, 38.15] = 6.50, P = 0.002, partial η2 = 0.29). Furthermore, we detected a dampened increase in salivary flow rate during tVNS (time × condition effect: F[3.28, 55.67] = 2.82, P = 0.043, partial η2 = 0.14). There was neither a difference in overall sCort or salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels nor in subjective stress or tiredness levels between conditions. sAA levels at the last measurement point were slightly higher during tVNS (t(19) = 2.26, P = 0.035, d = 0.51), but this effect failed to reach significance when controlled for multiple comparisons. Our results partially support that tVNS influences the regulation of stress-reactive neuroendocrine systems (namely the HPA axis and ANS) in epilepsy. More research with larger samples is needed on the difference between short-term and repeated long-term stimulation.

Comparative Assessment of Salivary Level of Cortisol, Anxiety and Depression in Patients with Oral Conditions: A Case Control Study

Introduction: Cortisol, as the main human glucocorticoid, is considered to be a biological marker of stress and anxiety. It is suggested that stress with its presumed effects on the immune system, constitutes one of the major causative agents for oral mucosal alterations. Methodology: To enable the study of gender-based differences in stress, salivary alpha-amylase levels and oral lesions, an equal gender distribution was guaranteed. The individuals were then given a clinical examination to look for oral mucosal alterations caused by stress, such as recurrent aphthous ulcers, oral lichen planus, dry mouth and burning mouth syndrome. To identify Temporomandibular Joint Disorders (TMDs), which are also linked to stress, trigger points, masticatory muscles and TMJs were examined. Results: 80 participants made up the research team, ranging in age from 24-47 years for the experimental group and 27-50 years for the control group. There was an equal number of men and women in both groups. The investigation group’s average age was 33.70 years, compared to 31.93 years for the control group (p=0.16). The study group’s female participants exhibited stress levels that ranged from 5% (N=1) for light stress to 40% (N=8) for severe stress (p=0.10). Conclusion: However, there was no connection between oral alterations and salivary alpha-amylase.

Perceived Stress and Cfognition Function Quantification in a Scary Video Game: An Electroencephalogram Features and Biochemical Measures.

Video games affect the stress system and cognitive abilities in different ways. Here, we evaluated electrophysiological and biochemical indicators of stress and assessed their effects on cognition and behavioral indexes after playing a scary video game. Thirty volunteers were recruited into two groups as control and experimental. The saliva and blood samples were collected before and after intervention (watching/playing the scary game for control and experimental groups respectively). To measure cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase (sAA) levels, oxytocin (OT), and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plasma levels, dedicated ELISA kits were used. Electroencephalography recording was done before and after interventions for electroencephalogram (EEG)-based emotion and stress recognition. Then, the feature extraction (for mental stress, arousal, and valence) was done. Matrix laboratory (MATLAB) software, version 7.0.1 was used for processing EEG-acquired data. The repeated measures were applied to determine the intragroup significance level of difference. Scary gameplay increases mental stress (P<0.001) and arousal (P<0.001) features and decreases the valence (P<0.001) one. The salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels were significantly higher after the gameplay (P<0.001 for both). OT and BDNF plasma levels decreased after playing the scary game (P<0.05 for both). We conclude that perceived stress considerably elevates among players of scary video games, which adversely affects the emotional and cognitive capabilities, possibly via the strength of synaptic connections, and dendritic thorn construction of the brain neurons among players. The mental stress level increases in players of scary video games.The salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels are significantly higher after the scary gameplay.Plasma levels of oxytocin and brain-derived neurotrophic factor decrease after the scary gameplay.The arousal and valence features increase in players of scary video game.Cognitive capabilities are adversely affected by the scary gameplay. Nowadays, video games have become an important part of human life at different ages. Therefore, assessing their effects (improving and/or damaging) on cognition and behavior is important for understanding how they affect the nervous system. The results of such studies can be used to design a variety of games in the future in a way that minimizes the harmful side effects of video games on human cognitive functions and maximizes their beneficial effects.

Features of postoperative pain relief in patients with a low level of consciousness: a prospective randomised study

AIM: To determine the possibility of using analgonociception monitoring (analgesia nociception index, ANI) to assess the need for postoperative analgesia in patients with prolonged impairment of consciousness.&#x0D; MATERIAL AND METHODS: This pilot prospective randomized study enrolled 34 consecutive patients with chronic impairment of consciousness (vegetative state/minimal state of consciousness) who underwent neurosurgical interventions. Randomization was made by the envelope method for the grouping of the patients: study group (SG, n=17), received anesthesia with intravenous paracetamol 1000 mg according to ANI in the postoperative period; control group (CG, n=17), without additional anesthesia in the postoperative period. Patients with arrhythmias were excluded. The groups are comparable in terms of the main clinical parameters (all parameters p 0.05). The ANI (MetroDoloris device, France) was recorded at 1, 4, 8, 12, and 24 h after surgery. The valuation was based on the revised scale for assessing pain in a coma, i.e., Nociception Coma ScaleRevised (NCS-R) [7], after 4, 12, and 24 h.&#x0D; RESULTS: An intragroup comparison of the changes in ANI during postoperative day 1 showed an adequate level of pain relief (60.1 [55.362.5]), whereas in the group without postoperative analgesia with paracetamol, by 4 h after the operation, ANI dropped to the lower limit (46.3 [40.251.9]). In an intergroup comparison in the first 8 h after surgery, ANI was significantly higher than in the group without anesthesia (p=0.04) and had values of 55, which indicates the absence of pronounced vegetative reactions indicating the presence of pain. From 12 oclock, the values are leveled out, not going beyond the limits of indicators of inadequate anesthesia (p=0.69). When assessing nociception on the NCR-R scale during the postoperative day in both groups, a tendency to the appearance of weak autonomic responses was observed (6 [5; 8] in SG and 6 [5; 7] in CS, respectively), which did not differ significantly. The presence of pain 4 h after surgery was confirmed by increased levels of cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase in patients without postoperative analgesia (p=0.03).&#x0D; CONCLUSION: No generally recognized and available evidence-based instrumental methods are available for the assessment of pain intensity in patients with chronic impairment of consciousness. There is no single position of the professional community on the need for postoperative analgesia in such patients. Further studies to evaluate the effectiveness of using the ANI Metro Doloris monitoring system with a significant number of observations will lead to the determination of adequate perioperative analgesia regimens in patients with various forms of prolonged impairment of consciousness.

Candidate Biological Markers for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Systematic Review.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common psychiatric condition associated with a high risk of psychiatric comorbidity and impaired social/occupational functioning when not promptly treated. The identification of biological markers may facilitate the diagnostic process, leading to an early and proper treatment. Our aim was to systematically review the available literature about potential biomarkers for SAD. A search in the main online repositories (PubMed, ISI Web of Knowledge, PsychInfo, etc.) was performed. Of the 662 records screened, 61 were included. Results concerning cortisol, neuropeptides and inflammatory/immunological/neurotrophic markers remain inconsistent. Preliminary evidence emerged about the role of chromosome 16 and the endomannosidase gene, as well as of epigenetic factors, in increasing vulnerability to SAD. Neuroimaging findings revealed an altered connectivity of different cerebral areas in SAD patients and amygdala activation under social threat. Some parameters such as salivary alpha amylase levels, changes in antioxidant defenses, increased gaze avoidance and QT dispersion seem to be associated with SAD and may represent promising biomarkers of this condition. However, the preliminary positive correlations have been poorly replicated. Further studies on larger samples and investigating the same biomarkers are needed to identify more specific biological markers for SAD.

The Relationship between Anxiety and Salivary Alpha-Amylase Levels in Mothers of Neonates Admitted to the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Anxiety is a significant health issue in mothers who give birth to unhealthy neonates. Different studies have investigated the relationship between anxiety and alpha-amylase. According to the necessity for psychological care of mothers whose infants are hospitalized in intensive care units and consequently the anxiety that is imposed on mothers due to the condition, this study aims to assess anxiety in these mothers and the relationship between this anxiety and salivary alpha-amylase. This study was a cross-sectional study conducted at Besat Hospital in Hamadan in 2021. Thirty mothers were enrolled in the study through a census method sampling. The Hamilton questionnaire measured maternal anxiety during the children's hospitalization period. Salivary alpha-amylase samples were taken from all mothers according to the scientific method, and mothers' salivary alpha-amylase levels were measured. All the gathered data were analyzed using SPSS 21 software. The significant level was considered 0.05 in all comparisons. The mean age of the 30 mothers was 29.27+6.24 years. The mean score of maternal anxiety was 16.27 + 6.78, and the mean salivary amylase level was 33.02 ± 16.22 U / ml. Fourteen mothers obtained low anxiety scores, 14 had moderate anxiety, and two had severe anxiety. No significant relationship was found between the mean of salivary alpha-amylase at the three levels and anxiety. There was no significant relationship between anxiety level with parent location, age, mother's level of education, infant gender, and child rank. According to the results of the present study, there was no significant relationship between the level of alpha-amylase and the level of anxiety in mothers of neonates admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU), so further researches in similar groups that are in anxious conditions seem necessary.

The salivary alpha-amylase concentration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: A case–control study

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the most common chronic inflammatory diseases. Previous studies have reported an association between stress and salivary alpha-amylase. The aim of this study was to investigate the concentration of salivary alpha-amylase in patients with RA (by elimination of stress factor). Materials and Methods: In this case–control study, we enrolled 50 patients with RA and 48 healthy patients as the control group. The perceived stress scale questionnaire was used to evaluate scores of stress in both case and control groups, and then the participants with high scores of stress were excluded from the study. Moreover, the alpha-amylase activity kit was used for the assessment of the levels of salivary alpha-amylase. In all analyses, the significance level was considered to be < 0.05. Finally, the obtained data were analyzed by SPSS22. Results: Our results indicated a high score of stress in the case group (19.42 ± 5.83 units) compared with the control group (18.02 ± 6.07 units) which was not statistically significant (P < 0.248). Moreover, we demonstrated a high salivary alpha-amylase concentration in the case group (340.65 ± 38.04 units) compared to the control group (302.62 ± 58.72 units), which was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of this method, at >312 alpha-amylase concentrations, were 80% and 46%, respectively. Conclusion: In general, we indicated that the alpha-amylase concentration in patients with RA is higher than the healthy controls, and can be used as a codiagnostic factor.

Mental Stress Management Using fNIRS Directed Connectivity and Audio Stimulation.

In this study, we propose a method to enhance cognitive vigilance and mitigate mental stress in the workplace. We designed an experiment to induce stress by putting participants through Stroop Color-Word Task (SCWT) under time constraint and negative feedback. Then, we used 16 Hz binaural beats auditory stimulation (BBs) for 10 minutes to enhance cognitive vigilance and mitigate stress. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (fNIRS), salivary alpha-amylase, and behavioral reactions were used to determine the stress level. The level of stress was assessed using reaction time to stimuli (RT), accuracy of target detection, directed functional connectivity based on partial directed coherence, graph theory measures, and the laterality index (LI). We discovered that 16 Hz BBs mitigated mental stress by substantially increasing the target detection accuracy by 21.83% ( p <0.001) and decreasing salivary alpha amylase levels by 30.28% (p<0.01). The partial directed coherence, graph theory analysis measures, and LI results indicated that mental stress decreased information flow from the left to the right prefrontal cortex under stress, whereas the 16 Hz BBs had a major impact on enhancing vigilance and mitigating mental stress via boosting connectivity network on the dorsolateral and left ventrolateral prefrontal cortex.

A randomized pilot study of the prophylactic effect of ketamine on laboratory-induced stress in healthy adults

BackgroundStress exposure is a key risk factor for the development of major depressive disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Enhancing stress resilience in at-risk populations could potentially protect against stress-induced disorders. The administration of ketamine one week prior to an acute stressor prevents the development of stress-induced depressive-like behavior in rodents. This study aimed to test if the prophylactic effect of ketamine against stress also applies to humans. MethodsWe conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled study wherein 24 healthy subjects (n = 11 males) were randomized to receive either ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) or midazolam (0.045 mg/kg) intravenously one week prior to an acute stress [Trier Social Stress Test (TSST)]. The primary endpoint was the anxious-composed subscale of the Profile of Mood States Bipolar Scale (POMS-Bi) administered immediately after the TSST. Salivary and plasma cortisol and salivary alpha amylase were also measured at 15-min intervals for 60 min following the stressor, as proxies of hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) axis activity, respectively. ResultsCompared to the midazolam group (n = 12), the ketamine group (n = 12) showed a moderate to large (Cohen's d = 0.7) reduction in levels of anxiety immediately following stress, although this was not significant (p = 0.06). There was no effect of group on change in salivary cortisol or salivary alpha amylase following stress. We conducted a secondary analysis excluding one participant who did not show an expected correlation between plasma and salivary cortisol (n = 23, ketamine n = 11). In this subgroup, we observed a significant reduction in the level of salivary alpha amylase in the ketamine group compared to midazolam (Cohen's d = 0.7, p = 0.03). No formal adjustment for multiple testing was made as this is a pilot study and all secondary analyses are considered hypothesis-generating. ConclusionsKetamine was associated with a numeric reduction in TSST-induced anxiety, equivalent to a medium-to-large effect size. However, this did not reach statistical significance . In a subset of subjects, ketamine appeared to blunt SAM reactivity following an acute stressor. Future studies with larger sample size are required to further investigate the pro-resilient effect of ketamine.

Assessment of differences in stress markers of edentulous patients rehabilitated with complete dentures

BackgroundBiomarkers can aid in determining the success of complete denture. Fewer studies evaluated the biomarkers in edentulous patients. This can aid in planning of better qualitative care for edentulous patients. The study compared the quantities of nitric oxide (NO), salivary alpha amylase (SAA) and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) before and after denture insertion in complete denture patients. MethodsThe study involved 25 edentulous patients. The saliva samples were obtained from patients prior, 1 h, and 1 week after denture insertion. Standardized procedure was followed in sample management, transportation and storing. The investigations varied with the biomarkers. SAA was estimated by enzymatic assay. TBARS by lipid peroxidation and NO was assessed by Griess reaction. The obtained data were tabled and statistically analyzed. ResultsThe results displayed variation in the level of markers between before and after denture insertion. The mean levels of SAA decreased from 8.26 ± 1.32 nm/ml to 3.44 ± 1.25 nm/ml in following denture insertion. The mean of TBARS and NO increased after denture insertion to 14.33 ± 4.72 nm/ml and NO 22.92 ± 5.79 ng/ml. The results were statistically significant with p < 0.05. ConclusionThe study concluded that denture insertion decreased the levels of psychological stress marker (SAA) and increased the Oxidative stress marker (TBARS, NO).