Abstract
In order to realize a novel hand-held monitor of the sympathetic nervous system, we have developed an analytical systenm for salivary amylase activity (sAMY) using a dry-chemistry system named "salivary amylase monitor". The device to quantfy sAMY by the rate method was'completely automated *This method was made possible by the fabrication of a disposable test-strip equipped with built-in saliva collecting and reagent papers and an automatic saliva transfer mechanism. A total of one minute was enough to analyse the sAMY. Within a range of sAMY between 12.9 - 150.7 kU/1, the calibration curve for the monitor showed a coefficient with R2 = O.972 and coefficient of variation (CV) = 12.6%. The simultaneous repeatability showed within 10%. Moreover, it was demonstrated that (i) the effect of coexisting Protein on the accuracy is less than 5%, (ii) the life time of the test-strip was 1.5years. Thus, this study denmonstrated that the monitor might be used as a better index fbr psychological research.
