@article{ref1,
title="Salivary Measures of Stress and Immunity in Police Officers Engaged in Simulated Critical Incident Scenarios",
journal="Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine",
year="2010",
author="Gröer, Maureen and Murphy, Regina M. and Bunnell, William and Salomon, Kristin and Van Eepoel, Jeanne and Rankin, Blake and White, K. and Bykowski, Cathy",
volume="52",
number="6",
pages="595-602",
abstract="OBJECTIVE:: This research investigated the effects of a critical incident lethal force scenario on a panel of salivary biomarkers, measured at baseline and then at 10 and 30 minutes postscenario, in 141 law enforcement volunteer officers. METHODS:: Officers were randomly assigned to two virtual reality scenarios. One scenario was brief and involved a police officer chasing a suspect on a motorcycle, confronting the suspect who draws a gun and shoots the police officer. The other scenario involved a lengthy chase by the police officer through a workplace of an armed perpetrator ultimately engaging in gunfire with the police officer. Saliva was analyzed for cortisol, secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA), interleukin-6, and alpha-amylase concentrations. RESULTS:: The &quot;workplace&quot; scenario produced the largest responses in biomarkers, with significant rises in cortisol, interleukin-6, alpha-amylase, and secretory immunoglobulin A. These data suggest that virtual reality can produce stress and immune effects. CONCLUSIONS:: This research suggests that virtual reality scenarios produce physiologic stress responses, mimicking occupational stress.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="1076-2752",
doi="10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181e129da",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/JOM.0b013e3181e129da"
}