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Salivary alpha‐amylase and cortisol among pentecostals on a worship and nonworship day
Author(s) -
Lynn Christopher Dana,
Paris Jason,
Frye Cheryl Anne,
Schell Lawrence M.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
american journal of human biology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.559
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1520-6300
pISSN - 1042-0533
DOI - 10.1002/ajhb.21088
Subject(s) - worship , saliva , amylase , alpha amylase , hum , biomarker , endocrinology , psychology , medicine , biology , theology , history , enzyme , biochemistry , philosophy , performance art , art history
Objectives This investigation used a biomarker of sympathetic nervous system activity novel to biocultural research to test the hypothesis that engaging in religious worship activities would reduce baseline stress levels on a non‐worship day among Pentecostals. Methods As detailed in Lynn et al. (submitted for publication), stress was measured via salivary cortisol and α‐amylase among 52 Apostolic Pentecostals in New York's mid‐Hudson Valley. Saliva samples were collected at four predetermined times on consecutive Sundays and Mondays to establish diurnal profiles and compare days of worship and non‐worship. These data were reanalyzed using separate analyses of covariance on α‐amylase and cortisol to control for individual variation in Pentecostal behavior, effects of Sunday biomarkers on Monday, and other covariates. Results There was a significant decrease in cortisol and an increase in α‐amylase on a non‐worship day compared with a service day. Models including engagement in Pentecostal worship behavior explained 62% of the change in non‐service day cortisol and 73% of the change in non‐service day α‐amylase. Conclusions Engagement in Pentecostal worship may be associated with reductions in circulatory cortisol and enhancements in α‐amylase activity. Am. J. Hum. Biol., 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.