AUTHOR=Karbownik Michał Seweryn , Hicks Steven Daniel 

TITLE=The Association of Salivary Serotonin With Mood and Cardio-Autonomic Function: A Preliminary Report

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Psychiatry

VOLUME=13

YEAR=2022

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychiatry/articles/10.3389/fpsyt.2022.788153

DOI=10.3389/fpsyt.2022.788153

ISSN=1664-0640

ABSTRACT=<sec><title>Background</title><p>Serotonin plays an important role in mood regulation and depression. However, it is not clear whether the levels of serotonin in saliva are related to current mood.</p></sec><sec><title>Aim</title><p>To test the association of salivary serotonin concentrations with mood, as well as cardiovascular and autonomic parameters.</p></sec><sec><title>Materials and Methods</title><p>Saliva samples were obtained from collegiate runners and output parameters were examined before and after physical activity.</p></sec><sec><title>Results</title><p>Salivary serotonin concentration was negatively associated with current mood (β = −0.32, 95%CI −0.62 to −0.02, <italic>p</italic> = 0.037, analysis adjusted for potential confounders), but insignificantly with measured cardiovascular and autonomic parameters.</p></sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title><p>Salivary serotonin may reflect current mood. The results are preliminary and require further evaluation.</p></sec>