Assessment of psychological stress using salivary amylase and cortisol measurements

Abstract

We investigated the influence of psychological stress on the levels of salivary amylase and cortisol. The amylase level was increased by viewing stressful videos. The cortisol level was increased three minutes later than that of the amylase. Although the amylase level was decreased when the subject watched a soothing video, the cortisol level remained the same. Those results show that the salivary amylase level was increased more significantly and reacted more rapidly to psychological stress than did the cortisol level, suggesting that it is a better index of stress. In addition, the amylase level might be used as an index of comfort.