Presenter(s): Robyn Wright − Human Physiology
Faculty Mentor(s): Jenefer Husman, Shawn Lampkins
Poster 42
Research Area: Science
Salivary-alpha amylase (sAA), a protein enzyme, is a biomarker of psychological stress. Researchers have used sAA to study the body’s processes during stress and its influence on health and human behavior. To conduct future research on students’ responses to exam stress using sAA, we first needed to understand the use of sAA as a biological marker and the best methods of collection and analysis. We conducted a literature search using Google Scholar and Web of Science, using keywords such as “salivary alpha amylase”, “sAA”, “salivary alpha amylase stress tasks”, and “sAA stress”. In six of the eight articles sources we reviewed, we found a strong correlation between the body’s enzymatic activity and the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. This search provided evidence for the proposition that increases in physiological stress are matched by an increase in sAA level in spit. Several methodological issues related to collecting sAA were identified. Passive drool or salivettes, rolls of cotton that subjects chew on, have consistently proven to be a reliable, accurate collection method. Our literature search also revealed sAA response to stress is faster, ten minutes between activation and release, than other salivary markers (e.g., cortisol). Based on this review, we are confident that sAA is a biological marker for stress and that salivettes are a reliable and accurate method of collection. In the future, we will utilize the results of this literature review to guide our examination of classroom context on students’ stress responses during midterm exams in a critical gateway course on statics.