Is this project an undergraduate, graduate, or faculty project?
Undergraduate
Project Type
individual
Campus
Daytona Beach
Authors' Class Standing
Brianna Magdaleno, Freshman
Lead Presenter's Name
Brianna Magdaleno
Lead Presenter's College
DB College of Arts and Sciences
Faculty Mentor Name
Alba Chavez
Abstract
College students tend to have more stress and less sleep than many people. Cortisol and melatonin are stress hormones responding to a physical or emotional stressor. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate these essential hormones in saliva samples from students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University coursing the majors of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The selected course within this major is EGR 120 with the CATIA computer program. Saliva samples were obtained before and after taking the class using tubes and saliva test kits, in which students were asked to spit into the tube, and samples were analyzed using an Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay (ELISA) procedure in order to calculate levels of cortisol and melatonin in the participant's samples and compare these with standards and controls. Results were analyzed by comparison with a curve line using Excel and Prism 9. Our results indicate that the students suffered more stress (directly proportional to elevated cortisol levels) after finishing the class. Future studies will include a screening of a larger student population size for more accurate screening.
Did this research project receive funding support (Spark, SURF, Research Abroad, Student Internal Grants, Collaborative, Climbing, or Ignite Grants) from the Office of Undergraduate Research?
No
Measurement of the salivary hormones Cortisol and Melatonin in Embry-Riddle students
College students tend to have more stress and less sleep than many people. Cortisol and melatonin are stress hormones responding to a physical or emotional stressor. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate these essential hormones in saliva samples from students at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University coursing the majors of Aerospace Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The selected course within this major is EGR 120 with the CATIA computer program. Saliva samples were obtained before and after taking the class using tubes and saliva test kits, in which students were asked to spit into the tube, and samples were analyzed using an Enzyme-Linked Immunoassay (ELISA) procedure in order to calculate levels of cortisol and melatonin in the participant's samples and compare these with standards and controls. Results were analyzed by comparison with a curve line using Excel and Prism 9. Our results indicate that the students suffered more stress (directly proportional to elevated cortisol levels) after finishing the class. Future studies will include a screening of a larger student population size for more accurate screening.