Comparison of Salivary Cortisol Levels in Various Academic Majors Using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay

Keywords: Cortisol, Stress, ELISA The purpose of this study was to examine the impact that different majors at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University have on salivary cortisol levels. Cortisol is a glucocorticoid synthesized in the zona fasciculata of the adrenal cortex. Secretion of cortisol is regulated by a hypothalamic hormone and a pituitary hormone. Corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH) is released from the hypothalamus, and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) is released from the pituitary gland. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is secreted in response to a physical or emotional stressor. Different academic majors were anticipated to have different salivary cortisol levels when tested with competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Competitive ELISA uses cortisol standards and salivary samples to compete with cortisol conjugated to horseradish peroxidase to detect binding sites on a microtitre plate with coated anti-Cortisol antibodies. Bounded cortisol enzyme conjugates are measured by the reaction to the peroxidase to the substrate tetramethylbenzidine (TMB). Optical density is read on a plate reader, and the amount of cortisol in the sample is inversely proportional to the amount of enzyme conjugate detected from the plate well. The characterization of cortisol levels is classified by utilizing a standard curve line. Preliminary data indicates that cortisol levels are drastically increased in engineering majors and during morning lectures or laboratory classes. Future studies will include screening of a larger student population size for a more statistically accurate screening