VU University Medical Center Amsterdam, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Horm Behav. 2012 Jun;62(1):77-85. doi: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2012.05.002. Epub 2012 May 12.
Attenuated reactivity of salivary alpha-amylase has been proposed as a specific sympathetic marker of disruptive behavior in juveniles and may have additional value to studying other autonomic parameters and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activity. Investigating the interrelationships between neurobiological parameters in relation to juvenile disruptive behavior may enhance insight into the complex mechanisms at play. We investigated salivary alpha-amylase, cortisol, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV) in response to a standardized public speaking task, and examined interactions between these parameters in relation to disruptive behavior. Participants were 48 delinquent male adolescents (mean age 18.4 years, SD 0.9), with and without a disruptive behavior disorder (resp. DP+, DP-) and 16 matched normal controls (NC). A structured psychiatric interview as well as the Youth Self Report and Child Behavior Checklist were administered to assess disruptive behavior. Alpha-amylase and cortisol reactivity, but not HR or HRV, showed significant inverse associations with dimensional measures of disruptive behavior. Moreover, both cortisol and alpha-amylase reactivity were significantly lower in the DP+ group as compared to the NC group. The mentioned relationships remained present when nicotine use was entered as a covariate. Combining alpha-amylase and cortisol in one model explained a larger part of the variance of disruptive behavior than either single parameter. There were no interactions between alpha-amylase and cortisol or HRV in relation to disruptive behavior. Attenuated alpha-amylase responsivity to stress is a correlate of disruptive behavior in late-adolescent males. Although nicotine use explains a considerable part of the variance of disruptive behavior, both alpha-amylase and cortisol are related to disruptive behavior, over and above the effect of nicotine use. Combining alpha-amylase and cortisol improved insight into neurobiological mechanisms involved with disruptive behavior; concurrent low reactivity of both parameters was related to higher levels of disruptive behavior.
唾液淀粉酶反应性减弱被认为是青少年破坏性行为的特异性交感神经标志物，它对研究其他自主神经参数和下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴活动可能具有额外的价值。研究与青少年破坏性行为有关的神经生物学参数之间的相互关系，可以深入了解其中的复杂机制。我们研究了唾液淀粉酶、皮质醇、心率（HR）和心率变异性（HRV）对标准化演讲任务的反应，并检查了这些参数之间的相互作用与破坏性行为的关系。参与者为 48 名有破坏性行为障碍的男性青少年（平均年龄 18.4 岁，标准差 0.9 岁）和无破坏性行为障碍的青少年（DP+和 DP-）和 16 名匹配的正常对照组（NC）。通过结构化的精神病学访谈以及青少年自我报告和儿童行为检查表来评估破坏性行为。唾液淀粉酶和皮质醇反应性与破坏性行为的维度测量呈显著负相关，但 HR 或 HRV 无此关联。此外，与 NC 组相比，DP+组的皮质醇和唾液淀粉酶反应性均显著降低。当将尼古丁使用作为协变量纳入时，上述关系仍然存在。将皮质醇和唾液淀粉酶结合在一个模型中，可以解释更多破坏性行为的方差，而不是单一参数。在破坏性行为方面，唾液淀粉酶和皮质醇或 HRV 之间没有相互作用。应激时唾液淀粉酶反应性减弱是青少年后期男性破坏性行为的一个相关因素。尽管尼古丁使用可以解释破坏性行为的大部分方差，但唾液淀粉酶和皮质醇与破坏性行为有关，且不受尼古丁使用的影响。将唾液淀粉酶和皮质醇结合起来可以更好地了解与破坏性行为相关的神经生物学机制；这两个参数同时反应性低与破坏性行为水平较高有关。
