Academic stress through salivary biomarkers: A multivariate exploration of cortisol, IL-1β, CRP, and IgA levels with sex-specific insights.

ABSTRACT: Academic stress activates physiological responses mediated by the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary axis and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, leading to the release of biomarkers such as cortisol and proinflammatory cytokines. While stress physiology has been extensively studied in clinical populations, few studies have systematically examined the association between academic stress and multiple salivary biomarkers in undergraduates, particularly with attention to sex differences. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between self-reported academic stress survey measured via the SISCO inventory and four salivary biomarkers of cellular inflammation: cortisol, interleukin-1β, C-reactive protein, and immunoglobulin A in 81 undergraduates (53 females, 28 males). Biomarke

SUBMITTER: Castillo-Klagges R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12818659 | biostudies-literature | 2026

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature