Does examination-induced psycho-emotional stress affect hemodynamic parameters, salivary NO levels, and electrolyte composition in students?
Examination-induced psycho-emotional stress significantly alters hemodynamics and salivary nitric oxide levels, manifesting in distinct sympathetic and parasympathetic physiological response patterns.
Research in the field of academic stress has shown that the mental and physical health of students can be significantly affected by the pressure to perform well academically. The negative impact of academic stress can lead to cardiovascular problems. Therefore, understanding the impact of academic stress on the psycho-emotional status and cardiovascular system functional state of students is an important area of research. The present study aimed to investigate the impact of examination-induced psycho-emotional stress on students’ hemodynamic parameters, nitric oxide (NO) level, and electrolyte (Na+/K+) composition of saliva. The study was conducted on a sample of student subjects, and two types of stress responses were observed: sympathetic type and parasympathetic type. Students who exhibited a sympathetic response showed an increase in heart rate and blood pressure levels and a decrease in the excretion of salivary NO before examinations that persisted for up to 24 h after the exams. Furthermore, a significant negative correlation was observed between the amount of NO and the values of blood pressure. Conversely, students who exhibited a parasympathetic response showed elevated salivary NO levels and decreased blood pressure parameters in both pre- and post-study periods. Additionally, hyponatremia in saliva before and after examinations was also observed. After the exam, there was a reduction in Na+ levels, although it did not reach a significant level. In conclusion, the findings of the present study suggest that examination-induced psycho-emotional stress can have a significant impact on students’ physical parameters, including hemodynamic parameters, NO levels, and electrolyte composition of saliva. The study highlights the need for further research in this area to develop effective strategies to mitigate the deleterious effects of stress on students’ physical and mental well-being during examination periods.
Gevorkyan et al. (2025) studied this question.