Salivary α-amylase response to competition:: Relation to gender, previous experience, and attitudes

This study examined individual differences in salivary a-amylase response to competition in relation to gender, previous experience, behavior, attitudes, and performance. Participants were 42 (21 women) members of a collegiate crew team. Saliva samples were collected before, 20- and 40-min post-ergometer competition and at the same times on a non-competition day for comparison. Samples were assayed for salivary biomarkers of sympathetic nervous system (alpha-amylase) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (cortisol) activity. Behavioral assessments included self-reports of dominance, competitiveness, bonding with teammates, competition-related strategic thinking, and performance. On average, salivary alpha-amylase increased 156% in response to the ergometer competition.,By comparison, cortisol increased 87% across the same time period. Salivary alpha-amytase was higher across the competition for varsity than for novice athletes, and was positively associated with performance and interest in team-bonding. Regression analyses revealed that alpha-amytase reactivity explained individual differences in dominance and team bonding above and beyond that associated with cortisol reactivity, and that joint inactivation in a-amytase and cortisol reactivity to competition (low-low) was associated with high perceived dominance. The findings are among the first to integrate salivary alpha-amytase into the study of competition and reveal that intra-individual change in a-amytase may be influenced by a confluence of factors that include contextual, behavioral, and psychological factors and processes. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.