Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A feeling of interest was associated with a transient increase in salivary immunoglobulin a secretion in students attending a lecture

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine Aims and scope

Abstract

Relations between feelings and salivary IgA secretion were assessed in co-medical students attending a lecture.

The assessments were performed twice in two different classes held in December, 1999 and October, 2000 in the same manner, then the data of the two trials were combined and analyzed. On the basis of the impression of the lecture, students were divided into two groups: a group who felt interested and another group who felt indifferent or bored. Saliva samples were taken three times, at the beginning of, at the end of, and 15 minutes after the class, then the secretory IgA in saliva was determined by ELISA.

At the end of the class, an increase in salivary IgA secretion was seen in the group who felt interested, while not in the group who felt indifferent or bored. The increasing change in salivary IgA secretion was, however, moderate and transient, namely it increased only by about +30% on average, and returned to the initial level after 15 minutes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Childers N, Bruce M, McGhee J. Molecular Mechanisms of Immunoglobulin A Defense. Ann. Rev. Microbiol. 1989; 43: 503–536.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Brandtzaeg P. Salivary Immunoglobulins. In: Tenovuo J, ed.Human saliva. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, Inc.; 1989: 1–54.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Herbert TB, Cohen S. Stress and immunity in humans: a meta-analytic review. Psychosom. Med. 1993; 55: 364–379.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Herbert TB, Cohen S. Depression and immunity: a meta-analytic review. Psychol. Bull. 1993; 113: 472–486.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Hodel L, Grob PJ. [Psyche and immunity. A selected literature study of psychoneuroimmunology in healthy persons]. Schweiz. Med. Wochenschr. 1993; 123: 2323–2341.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Kugler J. [Emotional status and immunoglobulin A in saliva—review of the literature]. Psychother. Psychosom. Med. Psychol. 1991; 41: 232–242.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Tsujita S, Morimoto K. Secretory IgA in saliva can be a useful stress marker. Environmental Health and Preventive Medicine. 1999; 4: 1–8.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Valdimarsdottir HB, Stone AA. Psychosocial factors and secretory immunoglobulin A. Crit. Rev. Oral. Biol. Med. 1997; 8: 461–474.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Jemmott JBd, Borysenko JZ, Borysenko M, et al. Academic stress, power motivation, and decrease in secretion rate of salivary secretory immunoglobulin A. Lancet 1983; 1: 1400–1402.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Jemmott JBd, Magloire K. Academic stress, social support, and secretory immunoglobulin A. J Pers. Soc. Psychol. 1988; 55: 803–810.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Mouton C, Fillion L, Tawadros E, Tessier R. Salivary IgA is a weak stress marker. Behav. Med. 1989; 15: 179–185.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Lowe G, Urquhart J, Greenman J. Academic stress and secretory immunoglobulin a. Psychol. Rep. 2000; 87: 721–722.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Deinzer R, Kleineidam C, Stiller-Winkler R, Idel H, Bachg D. Prolonged reduction of salivary immunoglobulin A (sIgA) after a major academic exam. Int. J. Psychophysiol. 2000; 37: 219–232.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kiecolt-Glaser JK, Garner W, Speicher C, Penn GM, Holliday J, Glaser R. Psychosocial modifiers of immunocompetence in medical students. Psychosom. Med. 1984; 46: 7–14.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Zeier H, Brauchli P, Joller-Jemelka HI. Effects of work demands on immunoglobulin A and cortisol in air traffic controllers. Biol. Psychol. 1996; 42: 413–423.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Farne M, Boni P, Gnugnoli D, Corallo A. The effect of daily hassles on salivary IgA: experimental evidence. Boll. Soc. Ital. Biol. Sper. 1992; 68: 409–412.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Hucklebridge F, Lambert S, Clow A, Warburton DM, Evans PD, Sherwood N. Modulation of secretory immunoglobulin A in saliva: response to manipulation of mood. Biol. Psychol. 2000; 53: 25–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Dillon K, Menchoff B. Positive emotional states and enhancement of the immune system. Int. J. Psychiatry Med. 1985-1986; 15: 13–18.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Harrison LK, Carroll D, Burns VE, et al. Cardiovascular and secretory immunoglobulin A reactions to humorous, exciting, and didactic film presentations. Biol. Psychol. 2000; 52: 113–126.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Jasnoski ML, Kugler J. Relaxation, imagery, and neuroimmuno-modulation. Ann. N. Y. Acad. Sci. 1987; 496: 722–730.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Green ML, Green RG, Santoro W. Daily relaxation modifies serum and salivary immunoglobulins and psychophysiologic symptom severity. Biofeedback Self Regul. 1988; 13: 187–199.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Rood YR, Bogaards M, Goulmy E, Houwelingen HC. The effects of stress and relaxation on the in vitro immune response in man: a meta-analytic study. J. Behav. Med. 1993; 16: 163–181.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Sherman JJ, Carlson CR, McCubbin JA, Wilson JF. Effects of stretch-based progressive relaxation training on the secretion of salivary immunoglobulin A in orofacial pain patients. J. Orofac. Pain. 1997; 11: 115–124.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. O'Connor ME, Schmidt W, Carroll-Pankhurst C, Olness KN. Relaxation training and breast milk secretory IgA [see comments]. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 1998; 152: 1065–1070.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Friedman E. Relaxation training and levels of secretory IgA in breast milk [letter; comment]. Arch. Pediatr. Adolesc. Med. 1999; 153: 654–655.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Brennan FX, Charnetski CJ. Stress and immune system function in a newspaper's newsroom. Psychol. Rep. 2000; 87: 218–222.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Wardell DW, Engebretson J. Biological correlates of Reiki Touch(sm) healing. J. Adv. Nurs. 2001; 33: 439–445.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Green R, Green M. Relaxation increases salivary immunoglobulin A. Psychol. Rep. 1987; 61: 623–629.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Olness KC, T, Uden D. Self-regulation of salivary immunoglobulin A by children. Pediatrics 1989; 83: 66–71.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Groer MW, Humenick S, Hill PD. Characterizations and psychoneuroimmunologic implications of secretory immunoglobulin A and cortisol in preterm and term breast milk. J. Perinat. Neonatal. Nurs. 1994; 7: 42–51.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Miletic ID, Schiffman SS, Miletic VD, Sattely-Miller EA. Salivary IgA secretion rate in young and elderly persons. Physiol. Behav. 1996; 60: 243–248.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Pthak S. Quantification of immunoglobulin concentration by ELISA.Immunology Methods Mannual. London: Academic Press LTD; 1997: 1055–1075.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Hucklebridge F, Clow A, Evans P. The relationship between salivary secretory immunoglobulin A and cortisol: neuroendocrine response to awakening and the diurnal cycle. Int. J. Psychophysiol. 1998; 31: 69–76.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Rantonen PJ, Meurman JH. Correlations between total protein, lysozyme, immunoglobulins, amylase, and albumin in stimulated whole saliva during daytime. Acta Odentol. Scand. 2000; 58: 160–165.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Environmental Medicine, Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-2 Yamadaoka, 565-0871, Suita, Osaka, Japan

    Satoshi Tsujita & Kanehisa Morimoto

Authors
  1. Satoshi Tsujita
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kanehisa Morimoto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kanehisa Morimoto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Tsujita, S., Morimoto, K. A feeling of interest was associated with a transient increase in salivary immunoglobulin a secretion in students attending a lecture. Environ Health Prev Med 7, 22–26 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02898063

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02898063

Key words

Search

Navigation