Chronic stress induces a hyporeactivity of the autonomic nervous system in response to acute mental stressor and impairs cognitive performance in business executives.

The present study examined the incidence of chronic stress in business executives (109 subjects: 75 male and 34 female) and its relationship with cortisol levels, cognitive performance, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity after an acute mental stressor. Blood samples were collected from the subjects to measure cortisol concentration. After the sample collection, the subjects completed the Lipp Inventory of Stress Symptoms for Adults and the Stroop Color-Word Test to evaluate stress and cognitive performance levels, respectively.

Salivary nitric oxide and alpha-amylase as indexes of training intensity and load.

This study examined the variation in salivary nitric oxide (NO), alpha-amylase (sAA) and serum markers of muscle injury during 21 weeks of training in elite swimmers. Samples of saliva and blood were collected once a month during 5 months from 11 male professional athletes during their regular training season. The variation in each marker throughout the 21 weeks was compared with the dynamics of training volume, intensity and load.

The relationship between the cortisol awakening response, mood states, and performance.

This study examined the variation in the diurnal profile of cortisol, with an emphasis on the cortisol awakening response (CAR), in relation to mood states and performance during a professional swimming contest. Eleven athletes were examined during 2 consecutive days of competition and during a recreated event 2 weeks later that was matched to the time of the day and day of the week of the competition. On each day, salivary cortisol was determined upon awakening (07:00 hours); 30 and 60 minutes post-awakening; immediately before warming up for competition (16:00 hours); and 5 minutes (18:20 hours), 20 minutes (18:40 hours), and 40 minutes (19:00 hours) after competition.

Response of salivary markers of autonomic activity to elite competition.

We investigated the response of salivary total protein (TP), alpha-amylase (sAA) and chromogranin A (CgA) to sporting competition and their relation with positive and negative affect. 11 professional swimmers were examined during the first day of a national contest and on a recreated event that matched time-of-the-day and day-of-the-week assessments 2 weeks later. Total protein was determined by the Bradford method and sAA and CgA by Western blotting upon awakening, 30 and 60 min post awakening, immediately before warming up for competition and 5, 20 and 60 min after competition.

Determination of the lactate threshold by means of salivary biomarkers: chromogranin A as novel marker of exercise intensity.

This study examined intra-individual variations in salivary lactate (sLac), alpha-amylase (sAA) and chromogranin A (sCgA) with reference to the accumulation of blood lactate (bLac) during incremental maximal exercise in swimmers. Samples of blood and saliva were collected simultaneously from 12 male professional athletes during an incremental test that consisted of eight series of 100 m in front crawl with increasing velocity (0.03 m s(-1) each) and 70-s intervals.