Parotid Gland Salivary Secretion in Tourette's Syndrome and Attention Deficit Disorder: A Model System for the Study of Neurochemical Regulation

The neurochemical regulation of parotid gland secretion of amylase and fluid has been well-studied and provides a model system for the study of receptor functioning in children and adults. Salivary amylase concentration, total amylase. and salivary volume were studied in children with Tourette's syndrome (TS) and Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) using a method for stimulating salivary secretion by citric acid swishes. Patients who were drug-free or on maintenance clonidine for treatment of TS were studied following single doses of clonidine or placebo. Drug-free TS patients had higher salivary amylase concentration and total salivary amylase than did TS patients who were chronically being treated with clonidine or ADD patients. Clonidine elicited a fall in salivary amylase secretion. The implications of these results and the use of salivary measures as an index of receptor functioning are discussed.