New Saliva Test Offers Fast, Simple Means Of Measuring Stress
Northwestern UniversityWith a little more than spit and a sponge, researchers at Northwestern University Medical School can now test whether an ndividual is experiencing physical or emotional stress. The test measures concentration of an enzyme, called amylase, in saliva. Researh has shown that salivary amylase concentration reflects the body's level of catecholamines, substances produced by the sympathetic nervous system in response to stress.