Factors associated with dietary habits and mood states affecting taste sensitivity in Japanese college women.
(9/13)
We conducted a cross-sectional survey to evaluate the factors associated with dietary habits and mood states affecting taste sensitivity in 127 Japanese college women with a mean age of 19.2 y. Differential thresholds for the four basic tastes on the tongue were determined by the filter paper disc method, while dietary intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire. Psychological mood states were evaluated by the Profile of Mood State (POMS) questionnaire. Differential thresholds for saltiness and bitterness in alcohol drinkers were higher than those in alcohol non drinkers, whereas differential thresholds for the other tastes did not differ significantly between any of the stratified groups. Canonical correlation analysis revealed that among the five POMS mood states, POMS fatigue scores showed relatively stronger association with combined variables of taste thresholds. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant involvement of zinc and iron intake, and that POMS fatigue and anger scores affected the differential threshold for sourness. Specific mood and dietary factors were shown to be associated with sensitivity to sourness and bitterness. Among the five POMS mood states, high POMS fatigue scores and low POMS anger scores appeared to be associated with decreased taste sensitivity. (+info)
Conventional systemic treatments associated with therapeutic sites of local lesions of secondary syphilis in the oral cavity in patients with AIDS.
(10/13)
Hypozincemia, ageusia, dysosmia, and toilet tissue pica.
(11/13)
A 37-year-old female presented with complaints of ageusia, dysosmia, fatigue, and toilet tissue pica. She was found to have hypozincemia and iron deficiency anemia. Her complaints quickly abated when treated with oral zinc and iron. (+info)
The importance of dietary protein in the zinc deficiency of uremia.
(12/13)
The pathogenesis of zinc deficiency and its relationship to hypogeusia were studied in three chronic dialysis units in Toronto. The difference between low plasma zinc levels at two of the hospitals compared to the normal levels in the third hospital was significantly related to levels of dietary zinc intake which in turn was due to the levels of dietary protein intake. Thus one cause of zinc deficiency in chronic uremia is dietary protein deprivation. In addition, in the hospital with normal plasma levels there was a small but significant rise in plasma zinc postdialysis in contrast to the other two hospitals where there was no change. Thus slight leaching of zinc from dialysis equipment could help prevent zinc deficiency in such patients. Hypogeusia was more common in zinc-deficient patients. (+info)
Biology of taste buds and the clinical problem of taste loss.
(13/13)
Taste buds are the anatomical structures that mediate the sense of taste. They comprise taste cells and nerve fibers within specialized epithelial structures. Taste cells are traditionally described by histologic methods as basal, dark, intermediate, and light cells, with the nerve fibers surrounding and infiltrating the taste buds. By means of immunohistochemical methods, taste cells and gustatory nerve fibers can be classified in functional groups based on the expression of various cell adhesion molecules and other proteins. When taste buds become damaged, the loss of the ability to taste results. This loss is not uncommon and can impact health and quality of life. Patients who receive radiation therapy for head and neck cancer often experience taste loss, which leads to compromised nutritional intake and a worse outcome than patients who do not experience taste loss. The mode of radiation damage to taste cells and nerve fibers has been investigated using cell adhesion molecules, synaptic vesicle proteins, and other cell markers. The light and intermediate cells are preferentially affected by ionizing radiation, whereas the nerve fibers remain structurally intact. Experimental studies of radiation-induced taste loss are performed via a unique animal/human model. (+info)