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OpenSampling

2020 · Brain sciences · open access

Salivary Cortisol Levels Are Associated with Craving and Cognitive Performance in Cocaine-Abstinent Subjects: A Pilot Study

Sampedro-Piquero et al.

The finding, in our words

Self-collected salivary cortisol, measured at three daily time points in cocaine-abstinent outpatients, showed elevated morning levels and area-under-the-curve values that correlated positively with craving and negatively with verbal memory performance. This pilot study suggests home-based cortisol monitoring could help track relapse risk and cognitive impairment in substance-use disorders.

A paraphrase to the Library’s standard, never the abstract. The source is one link away and is always the authority.

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  1. 2026

    This study used home self-collected saliva samples to successfully monitor cytokines and cortisol in mothers and infants, finding that a community singing intervention significantly reduced salivary interleukin-6 levels in mothers with postnatal depression.

    Community singing intervention reduces maternal salivary cytokines and enhances maternal-infant cortisol synchrony in postnatal depression: biological findings from the SHAPER-PND trialKirkpatrick et al., Brain, behavior, and immunity (paywalled) · source ↗

    • dct
    • cortisol
    • self-collection
    • pediatric
    • hormones
    • liquid
    • saliva
    • biomarkers
  2. 2026

    At-home saliva sampling for cortisol was feasible over 12 days in two people with poststroke aphasia, with the cortisol awakening response remaining consistent across days and weeks.

    Intraindividual Variability of the Cortisol Awakening Response, Sleep Dynamics, Stress, and Emotion in Two Persons With Poststroke AphasiaLaures-Gore et al., Journal of speech, language, and hearing research : JSLHR (paywalled) · source ↗

    • cortisol
    • self-collection
    • hormones
    • liquid
    • saliva
  3. 2026

    This study found that salivary 11-dehydrodexamethasone correlates strongly with serum dexamethasone, unlike salivary dexamethasone which shows poor agreement. This validation suggests patients could self-collect saliva samples at home to verify dexamethasone absorption for the overnight suppression test.

    The Utility of Salivary 11-Dehydrodexamethasone as a Marker of Dexamethasone AbsorptionMarshall et al., The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism (paywalled) · source ↗

    • venous-agreement
    • tdm
    • cortisol
    • self-collection
    • hormones
    • liquid
    • validation
    • saliva
  4. 2026

    This study validated a lateral flow fluorescence assay using quantum dots for saliva and europium nanoparticles for serum to detect cortisol within physiological ranges. The test operates in 15 minutes with a handheld reader, supporting point-of-care and at-home monitoring without a cold chain.

    Ultrasensitive de novo Protein Sandwich Lateral flow Fluorescence Assay for Cortisol in Saliva and Serum using Quantum dots and Europium NanoparticlesBruno et al., Journal of fluorescence (paywalled) · source ↗

    • blood
    • saliva
    • liquid
    • self-collection
    • validation
    • hormones
    • cortisol
  5. 2026

    In a study of 46 perinatal nicotine users, dried blood spots and saliva were used weekly to measure reproductive hormones, finding that lower postpartum estradiol and greater peripartum declines in oxytocin were associated with increased nicotine craving and use. This demonstrates the feasibility of decentralised microsampling and remote surveys for longitudinal hormone tracking in vulnerable populations.

    Exploring hormonal influences on nicotine craving and use across the perinatal period: A prospective longitudinal studyAllen et al., Drug and alcohol dependence reports (paywalled) · source ↗

    • dct
    • blood
    • dbs
    • cortisol
    • self-collection
    • dried
    • fertility
    • hormones
    • saliva