Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 25, 2026
Collecting Saliva and Measuring Salivary Cortisol and Alpha-amylase in Frail Community Residing Older Adults via Family Caregivers
Published on: December 18, 2013
Evening salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase at 14months and neurodevelopment at 4years: Sex differences
Ainara Andiarena1, Nekane Balluerka1, Mario Murcia2
1University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), San Sebastian, Spain; Biodonostia Health Research Institute, San Sebastian, Spain.
Insights
Early life stress markers, salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase, at 14 months are linked to neurodevelopment at 4 years. Sex influences these associations, impacting cognitive, motor, and socioemotional development differently in boys and girls.
Area of Science:
- Developmental Psychology
- Neuroendocrinology
- Pediatric Health
Background:
- Early life stress significantly impacts neurodevelopmental trajectories.
- Understanding the long-term effects of early stress system activity is crucial for child development research.
- The INMA (Environment and Childhood) project provides a valuable cohort for studying environmental influences on child health.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between early childhood stress markers (salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase) and later neuropsychological development.
- To examine sex-specific patterns in the relationship between stress system activity and neurodevelopmental outcomes at 4 years of age.
- To assess these associations in a low-risk Spanish birth cohort.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of basal evening salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase levels in 186 children at 14 months of age.
- Assessment of neuropsychological development (cognitive, motor, socioemotional) at 4 years of age.
- Statistical modeling to determine associations, considering sex as a moderating factor.
Main Results:
- Both salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase at 14 months were associated with neurodevelopment at 4 years.
- Cortisol showed sex-specific effects: in girls, it was linked to lower cognitive and gross motor development; in boys, to socioemotional development (autistic-like behaviors).
- Alpha-amylase was positively associated with socioemotional development in boys, including social competence and reduced hyperactivity/autistic-like behaviors.
Conclusions:
- Early life stress system activity, measured by salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase, is associated with longer-term neurodevelopmental outcomes.
- Sex is a significant factor modulating the relationship between early stress markers and neurodevelopment.
- These findings highlight the importance of considering both biological stress responses and sex in understanding child neurodevelopment.
Abstract:
Stress system activity in early life can have long-term effects on neurodevelopment. The main aim of this study was to assess the association of child evening salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase basal levels at 14months of age with longer-term neuropsychological development at 4years in a low-risk population-based birth cohort derived from the INMA (Environment and Childhood) project in Spain. We included 186 parent-children pairs with information on both stress system activity and neurodevelopment. Both stress markers at 14months of age showed an association with neuropsychological development at 4years. Salivary cortisol showed a sex-specific pattern of association. In girls, cortisol levels at 14months were negatively associated with cognitive development [long-term declarative memory (β=-17.8, p=0.028; 95% CI=-33.2 to -2.5); executive function (β=-9.8, p=0.08; 95% CI=-21 to 1)] and gross motor development (β=-13; p=0.022; 95% CI=-24 to -2), whereas in boys cortisol levels were negatively associated with socioemotional development [autistic-like behaviours: Incidence Rate Ratio (IRR)=1.6, p=0.039; 95% CI=1.01 to 2.41]. Salivary alpha-amylase was positively associated with socioemotional development in boys only [social competence (β=2.11, p=0.013; 95% CI=0.47 to 3.72), autistic-like behaviours (IRR=0.93, p=0.042; 95% CI=0.87 to 0.99) and hyperactivity symptoms (IRR=0.81, p=0.021; 95% CI=0.69 to 0.97)]. These results suggest that stress system activity in early life is associated with longer-term neurodevelopment and that sex is an important factor in this relationship.
