Elevated salivary α-amylase and cortisol levels in unremitted and remitted depressed patients

Abstract

Objective. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is often associated with dysregulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis via chronic stress. Psychosocial stress-induced activation of salivary α-amylase (sAA) represents sympathoadrenal medullary system (SAM) activity, and sAA has become an emerging biomarker for sympathetic nervous system activity. In contrast to salivary cortisol, sAA has been less extensively studied in depressed patients. The present study sought to address this problem by measuring sAA and salivary cortisol levels in patients with major depressive disorder. Methods. The authors recorded Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scores along with, levels of sAA and salivary cortisol in 28 patients with unremitted major depressive disorder, 43 remitted patients and 103 healthy volunteers. Results. STAI (State or Trait) measurements in unremitted patients with MDD were significantly increased compared with healthy controls and remitted patients. SAA and cortisol levels in unremitted patients were also significantly elevated compared to controls and remitted patients. Finally, sAA levels were significantly correlated with HRSD in unremitted patients with MDD. Conclusion. These preliminary results suggest that sAA may be a state-dependent marker of major depressive disorder in addition to salivary cortisol.

Symptoms of prenatal depression are associated with raised salivary alpha-amylase levels

“…Previous research in non-pregnant participants has reported significant associations between depressive symptoms and increased sAA concentrations (Ishitobi et al, 2010;Tanaka et al, 2012;Veen et al, 2013), however such associations appear to be stronger in unremitted (Ishitobi et al, 2010) and female patients (Tanaka et al, 2012). Further, sAA levels have been related to antidepressant use; there is evidence to suggest that those patients using tri-cyclic antidepressant medication have higher sAA levels than those who use selective serotonin re-uptake inhibitors (Veen et al, 2013).…”

“…Increased sAA in response to acute stress has also been associated with the expected increase in circulating noradrenaline (Rohleder et al, 2004;Thoma et al, 2012). Further, sAA levels have also been reported to be inflated in people with depression (Ishitobi et al, 2010;Tanaka et al, 2012;Veen et al, 2013).…”

No relationship between baseline salivary alpha-amylase and State-Trait Anxiety Inventory Score in drug-naive patients with short-illness-duration first episode major depressive disorder: An exploratory study

“…Nonetheless, systematic clinical data on sAA levels in MDD according to STAI profile are limited to a single study in 71 depressed patients where sAA levels were significantly increased in unremitted patients with MDD compared to both healthy controls and remitted patients with MDD. Still, STAI scores (State or Trait) were not associated with sAA level although STAI measurements in unremitted patients with MDD were significantly increased compared with healthy controls and remitted patients (3). Thus anxiety levels in MDD might not be associated with sAA or salivary cortisol levels.…”

“…There is, however, considerable inconsistency in the results attributing sAA elevation to illness stage, severity, specific dimensions of depression and measures of distress (3,4). The elevated sAA activity was associated with depression severity and specific psychopathological dimensions of MDD with anxiety being attributed to distress.…”

TENS effects on salivary stress markers: A pilot study

“…For this reason, the measurement of sAA activity was used in the study, to investigate the psychobiology of stress, suggesting the existence of a correlation with various acute and chronic stress-connected diseases. [2][3][4] According to the recent literature, subjects afflicted with chronic pain, among which temporomandibular disorders (TMD), suffer from a dysregulation of the descending systems of pain modulation (and the periaqueductal gray plays a key role) and of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) that can be evaluated through the study of the plasmatic cortisol. [5][6][7] Plasmatic cortisol levels are correlated with the salivary cortisol and sAA levels.…”