Juvenile Hypersalivation

Abstract

We investigated the psychological background and mechanism of onset of juvenile hypersalivation in patients under 29 years of age who chiefly complained of hypersalivation. A psychological test and questionnaire revealed that most participants had some social anxiety in their background. A comparison study of juvenile hypersalivation and juvenile dry mouth, along with the analysis of 1,517 cases of dry mouth, showed that the amount of saliva depends on the affected period. Psychological obsession or fixed attention sometimes cause functional disorders and organic changes. When these individuals have social anxiety, they concentrate and obsess on saliva for a long time, even over trivial things. Juvenile hypersalivation is first caused by social anxiety, and thereafter hypersalivation tends to occur continuously. The amygdala is activated when these individuals experience social anxiety. The central nucleus of the amygdala (CeA) directly or indirectly leads to the superior salivary nucleus and is also related to plasticity diseases, such as the learning of fear conditioning. Juvenile hypersalivation is a type of plasticity disease caused by a long obsession with saliva. The CeA also controls social behavior or individual distance, and is related to social anxiety. Juvenile hypersalivation associated with social anxiety is closely related to the amygdala. Although treating the disease is challenging, we should focus on reducing the patient's excessive consciousness of hypersalivation rather than improving it. We conclude that preceding psychological obsession or fixed attention causes hypersalivation；therefore, relaxation of the individual could normalize the volume of saliva.