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Background Taste disorders in general, and dysgeusia in particular, are relatively common disorders that may be a sign of a more complex acute or chronic medical condition. During the COVID-19 pandemic, taste disorders have found their way into the realm of general as well as specialty dentistry, with significance in screening for patients who potentially may have the virus. Types of studies reviewed The authors searched electronic databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Google Scholar) for studies focused on dysgeusia, ageusia, and other taste disorders and their relationship to local and systemic causes. Results The authors found pertinent literature explaining the normal physiology of taste sensation, proposals for suggested new tastes, presence of gustatory receptors in remote tissues of the body, and etiology and pathophysiology of taste disorders, in addition to the valuable knowledge gained about gustatory disorders in the context of COVID-19. Along with olfactory disorders, taste disorders are one of the earliest suggestive symptoms of COVID-19 infection. Conclusions Gustatory disorders are the result of local or systemic etiology or both. Newer taste sensations, such as calcium and fat tastes, have been discovered, as well as taste receptors that are remote from the oropharyngeal area. Literature published during the COVID-19 pandemic to date reinforces the significance of early detection of potential patients with COVID-19 by means of screening for recent-onset taste disorders. Practical implications Timely screening and identification of potential gustatory disorders are paramount for the dental care practitioner to aid in the early diagnosis of COVID-19 and other serious systemic disorders.

Depression is associated with taste disorders; however, the mechanisms by which mental stress affects taste perception are not well understood. This study aimed to elucidate the effects of psychosocial stress on peripheral taste-sensing systems using a mouse depression model. Male mice were subjected to subchronic and mild social defeat stress (sCSDS). Results showed that sCSDS significantly increased body weight, food and water intake, and social avoidance behavior and that sCSDS did not change reward-seeking behavior on sucrose preference but tended to decrease pheromonal preference for female urine. Furthermore, sCSDS downregulated the mRNA levels of sweet and umami taste receptor subunits, i.e., sweet taste receptor type 1 members 2 and 3 (T1R2 and T1R3), but not the umami taste receptor subunit, i.e., taste receptor type 1 member 1 (T1R1), in the circumvallate papillae of mice. It is known that sucrose preference is mediated by the gut–brain axis without taste perception; thus, it was considered that sCSDS affected the peripheral taste-sensing systems, rather than the central reward systems, which mediate sucrose preference. This is the first study to report that psychosocial stress affects peripheral sweet and umami taste-sensing systems.

Objective In a cohort of 500 patients complaining about adverse effects from dental materials, allergies were found to be contributing to the patients’ subjective complaints in only about 14% of the cases. Therefore, the aim of this retrospective study was to investigate an enlarged cohort of 625 patients reporting on adverse effects from dental materials on non-allergy-related dental or orofacial findings with relevance for their subjective complaints. Methods 625 patients visiting a specialized consultation on suspected adverse effects from dental materials were characterized regarding age and sex distribution, subjective complaints, allergies, and dental and orofacial findings with relevance for their subjective complaints. Results This cohort comprised about 81% females and the median age was 58 years. The most often reported subjective complaints were burning mouth (43.8%), taste disorders (28.8%) and dry mouth (22.7%). Allergies toward dental materials were found in 12.3%. In 28.0% of the patients, no dental or orofacial findings with relevance for the subjective complaints expressed by the patients could be found. 19.8% of the patients exhibited relevant functional symptoms, 16.2% relevant orofacial diseases, 15.2% relevant mechanical irritations, 10.1% or 9.4% relevant tooth-related or plaque-related symptoms, respectively, 9.4% hyposalivation, and in 7.2% relevant manufacturing faults were found. Significance In patients complaining about adverse effects from dental materials, a wide variety of dental or orofacial findings need to be considered despite allergies, although a quarter of the patients did not present any relevant dental or orofacial finding. Therefore, specialized consultations and close collaboration with experts from other fields are eligible.

Summary Purpose To examine the postoperative complaints and complications of microlaryngoscopic surgery (MLS) performed at a facility specializing in voice disorders. Methods The subjects were 550 patients who underwent MLS over a period of 2 years and 6 months starting in 2014; they were investigated retrospectively based on surgical and medical records. Results Postoperatively, some complaints and complications were identified in 66.0% of the subjects; sore throat was reported by 40.0%, which was the highest rate of complaints among all subjects. Tongue-related complications (numbness of the tongue, taste disorder, tongue pain, and hypoglossal nerve palsy) were observed in 16.9% of all cases, which was a relatively high rate. A median duration of 4 days was required to recover from tongue numbness (1.0 and 11.0 days for the 25th and 75th percentiles, respectively), while recovery from a taste disorder involved 4 days (4.0 and 14.3 days); a relatively long period was required for healing. However, 25% of taste disorders and 21% of tongue numbness cases required more than 2 weeks to recover; all cases recovered eventually. Almost all complaints and complications were temporary. Moreover, only three cases (0.55%) of tooth damage were irreversible. No other serious complications were observed. Conclusion In previous reports, we examined the complications of MLS conducted by phonosurgery specialists at our hospital, which is a facility that specializes in voice disorders. An unexpectedly large number of patients complained of some symptoms after the operation. Because tongue-related complications tended to have a long healing duration, we think that preoperative explanations are important. We believe that the results of this study provide new insights into the incidence of complications and complaints after MLS and the healing duration.

Introduction: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has spread rapidly throughout the world. Smell and/or taste disorders have emerged as a very frequent symptom as the disease has spread in Europe. Spain is one of the European countries with the highest number of infections. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the clinical progression of smell and taste disorders in Spanish patients with mild COVID-19. Methods: An online survey was used to conduct a cross-sectional study of patients who presented sudden smell and/or taste disorders during the 2 months of total lockdown due to COVID-19 in Spain. Results: In our sample, 91.18% of respondents with impaired smell and/or taste and who were able to undergo PCR testing were positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Anosmia and ageusia presented in isolation in 6.5% of participants. The remaining 93.5% presented other mild symptoms: headache (51.6%), cough (51.6%), myalgia (45.2%), asthaenia (38.7%), nasal congestion or rhinorrhoea (35.5%), fever (41.9%), low-grade fever (29.0%), odynophagia (25.8%), or diarrhoea (6.5%). The mean duration of anosmia was 8.33 days, with patients subsequently manifesting hyposmia; complete resolution occurred after a mean of 17.79 days. In 22.6% of respondents, olfactory deficits persisted. All participants recovered their sense of taste. Conclusions: Olfactory and gustatory disorders are prevalent symptoms in mild COVID-19. Most patients do not present associated nasal congestion or rhinorrhoea and a small group of patients present these alterations in isolation. Resumen: Introducción: La enfermedad por coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19), se ha expandido con gran rapidez en todo el mundo. Las alteraciones del olfato y/o gusto han emergido como un síntoma muy frecuente a medida que la enfermedad se propagó en Europa. Uno de los países con mayor número de contagios en este continente ha sido España. Objetivo: Investigar la evolución clínica de los trastornos del olfato y el gusto en la enfermedad leve por COVID-19 en pacientes españoles. Métodos: Se realizó un estudio transversal a través de encuesta on‐line, en pacientes que presentaron afección súbita del olfato y/o el gusto, durante los dos meses de confinamiento total por COVID-19 en España. Resultados: El 91,18% de los sujetos con afectación del olfato y/o el gusto, que tuvieron a acceso a la realización de PCR, fueron positivos para COVID-19. El 6,5% presentó anosmia y ageusia de forma aislada. El 93,5% manifestó otros síntomas leves asociados: cefalea (51,6%), tos (51,6%), mialgias (45,2%), astenia (38,7%), congestión nasal o rinorrea (35,5%), fiebre (41,9%), febrícula (29,0%), odinofagia (25.8%) y diarrea (6,5%). La duración media de la anosmia fue de 8,33 días, posteriormente los pacientes manifestaron hiposmia, con resolución completa en 17,79 días de media. En el 22,6% de los pacientes el déficit olfatorio persistió. Todos los sujetos recuperaron el sentido del gusto. Conclusiones: Los trastornos olfativos y gustativos son síntomas prevalentes en la infección leve por COVID-19. Gran parte de los pacientes no presentan congestión nasal o rinorrea asociada y un grupo reducido de pacientes los presentan de forma aislada.

Chemosensory dysfunction has increasingly been reported in patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we document a case of a patient with taste and smell alterations as the only clinical manifestations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection. In March 2020, a 36-year-old woman presented with self-reported hypogeusia/ageusia and hyposmia/anosmia in the absence of any respiratory symptom. The patient, who had no clinical and radiographic signs of sinusitis and was otherwise healthy, eventually had a positive test result for SARS-CoV-2. She did not develop any COVID-19-related symptoms throughout her 6-month follow up. Her self-reported chemosensory dysfunction lasted for 12 weeks. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report that has accurately documented taste and smell alteration as the sole manifestation of COVID-19 in an otherwise healthy individual. Overall, analysis of current evidence supports the inclusion of gustatory and olfactory alterations as cardinal symptoms of COVID-19. Dentists' awareness of the diagnostic criteria for case definition of COVID-19 can facilitate early detection of the disease.

Patients with COVID-19 often complain of smell and taste disorders (STD). STD emerge early in the course of the disease, seem to be more common in SARS-CoV-2 infection than in other upper respiratory tract infections, and could in some cases persist for long after resolution of respiratory symptoms. Current evidence suggests that STD probably result from a loss of function of olfactory sensory neurons and taste buds, mainly caused by infection, inflammation, and subsequent dysfunction of supporting non-neuronal cells in the mucosa. However, the possible occurrence of other mechanisms leading to chemosensory dysfunction has also been hypothesized, and contrasting data have been reported regarding the direct infection of sensory neurons by SARS-CoV-2. In this mini-review, we summarize the currently available literature on pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and outcomes of STD in COVID-19 and discuss possible future directions of research on this topic.

Background: Some patients experience persistent symptoms after COVID-19, but data on outpatients with mild-to-moderate COVID-19 are scarce. We aimed to describe the post-COVID-19 syndrome in confirmed COVID-19 outpatients and to identify its predictors. Methods: This monocentric prospective cohort study included symptomatic outpatients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19 (COVID-positive) and SARS-CoV-2 negative PCR (COVID-negative). Predefined persistent symptoms were evaluated though a phone interview between more than three to ten months after diagnosis. Associations between long-term symptoms and PCR test result, as well predictors of persistent symptoms in COVID-positive were evaluated by multivariate logistic regression. Findings: The study population consisted mostly of young (median of 41 versus 36 years in COVID-positive and COVID-negative, respectively; p=0·020) health care workers (67% versus 82%; p=0·006). Persistent symptoms were reported by 223 (53%) COVID-positive and 33 (37%) COVID-negative ( p =0·006). Overall, 21% COVID-positive and 15% COVID-negative (p=0·182) consulted a doctor for these symptoms. Four surveyed symptoms were independently associated with COVID-19: fatigue (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2·14, 95%CI 1·04-4·41), smell/taste disorder (26·5, 3·46-202), dyspnea (2·81, 1·10-7·16) and memory impairment (5·71, 1·53-21·3). Among COVID-positive, female gender (aOR 1·67, 95% CI 1·09-2·56) and overweight/obesity (1·67, 1·10-2·56) were predictors of persistent symptoms. Interpretation: More than half of COVID-positive outpatients report persistent symptoms up to ten months after infection and 21% seek medical care for this reason. The symptoms and predictors of post-COVID-19 syndrome need further characterization as it places a significant burden on society and especially healthcare systems. Funding: This work was supported by an academic award of the Leenaards Foundation. Declaration of Interests: None to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: The project was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Canton of Vaud, Switzerland. All participants gave their verbal consent to participate in this study during the phone interview (project-ID CER-VD 2020-01107 and 2019-02283).

Introduction: Covid-19 associated neurological syndromes has been recognized as an important part of the clinical spectrum of illness with a significant impact on mortality and morbidity. The common neurological manifestations are headache, dizziness, smell and taste disorders, encephalopathy, meningoencephalitis, acute cardiovascular syndromes, seizures, and peripheral nervous system disorders. Methodology: A single center retrospective study was undertaken to identify the presence/absence of neurological symptoms and signs in a sample of 1700 consecutive patients admitted with covid-19. A detailed questionnaire addressing comorbidities, admission details and clinical features was employed to collect data from the hospital records of patients with neurological signs and symptoms. The data was analyzed using IBM Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Statistics version 22 software for relative frequency of various neurological syndromes and related variable. Results: 1700 COVID-19 patient records were analyzed of whom 230 of them showing one or more neurological manifestations. Among the COVID-19 patients with neurological manifestations, mean (standard deviation) age was 43 (19.8) years and half of them were (49.6%) male. Most common neurological symptom was headache reported by 80.9% of patients followed by smell and taste disorders (STD) (26.5%), dizziness (23.5%), myalgia (19.1%), altered sensorium (15 %), strokes (13.04%) and seizures (12.6%). 10% of patients succumbed to the illness of whom 52.2% had suffered a stroke. Conclusion: Neurological manifestations of covid-19 are manifold but well defined and replicated consistently by previous studies and ours. Increasing awareness of this important facet will ensure better identification and effective treatment of these conditions. Funding Statement: None to declare. Declaration of Interests: None to declare. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by Institutional Ethics Committee of Malabar Institute Of Medical Sciences Ltd. (MIMS).

Background: Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction have been reported as characteristic symptoms of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study evaluated olfactory and gustatory dysfunction in mild COVID-19 patients using validated assessment methods. Methods: A prospective surveillance study was conducted for mild COVID-19 patients who were isolated at the Gyeonggi International Living and Treatment Support Center (LTSC), Korea. Olfactory function was assessed using the Korean version of the Questionnaire of Olfactory Disorders (QOD) and Cross-Cultural Smell Identification Test (CC-SIT). Gustatory function was assessed using an 11-point Likert scale and 6-n-propylthiouracil, phenylthiocarbamide, and control strips. All patients underwent nasal and oral cavity endoscopic examination. Findings: Of the 62 patients at the LTSC, 15 patients (24.2%) complained of olfactory or gustatory deterioration on admission. Four of 10 patients who underwent functional evaluation did not have general symptoms and 2 patients were asymptomatic. The mean sQOD-NS and QOD-VAS scores were 13 ± 6 and 4.7 ± 3.6, respectively. The mean CC-SIT score was 8 ± 2. No patients showed anatomical abnormalities associated with olfactory dysfunction on endoscopic examination. The mean Likert scale score for function was 8 ± 2, and there were no abnormal lesions in the oral cavity of any patient. Interpretation: The prevalence of olfactory and gustatory dysfunction was 24.2% in mild COVID-19 patients. All patients had hyposmia due to sensorineural olfactory deterioration, which was confirmed using validated olfactory and gustatory evaluation methods and endoscopic examination. Olfactory and gustatory dysfunction may be characteristic indicators of mild COVID-19. Funding Statement: No funding. Declaration of Interests: The authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: This study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Korea University Ansan Hospital (2020AS0122).

In this study, we aimed to elucidate the association between taste acuity and serum zinc concentration in patients with type 2 diabetes.We enrolled 29 patients who were hospitalized and asked them to attend a 2-week diabetes education program. Fasting blood samples were obtained on the morning of the first day and 2 weeks after hospitalization. The acuity of sweet, salty, sour or bitter taste was evaluated by a filter-paper disc method. Correlations among taste acuity, glycemic control and serum zinc concentration were analyzed using the Spearman rank correlation coefficient.The following parameters (mean ± standard deviation) were improved after 2 weeks' hospitalization: taste acuity (sweet: 3.5±1.0 to 2.9±1.1; salty: 3.3±1.1 to 2.6±1.0; sour: 3.6±1.2 to 2.7±0.8; and bitter: 3.3±1.3 to 2.7±1.1; all p0.001); glycemic control (fasting plasma glucose, 9.4±3.0 to 7.1±1.8 mmol/L, and glycoalbumin, 26.3±7.7 to 22.7±5.9 %; both p0.001); and serum zinc concentration (1.2±0.2 to 1.3±0.2 mmol/L; p0.001). Sour and bitter taste acuity were significantly associated with serum zinc concentration (sour, r=-0.50, p=0.005; bitter, r=-0.40, p=0.033).Glycemic control, serum zinc concentration and taste acuity were improved after the short-duration education program. Sour and bitter taste acuity were significantly associated with serum zinc concentrations.

Tolosa-Hunt syndrome (THS) is a type of painful ophthalmoplegia characterized by unilateral orbital pain and oculomotor paresis. This report describes a case of painful ophthalmoplegia considered to be THS. The patient was a 72-year-old woman. After dental implant placement in the left maxillary first molar site, she was referred to our hospital for persistent left periorbital and facial pain, diplopia, and taste disorder. With an initial diagnosis of trigeminal neuralgia, diplopia, and taste disorder, we began administration of carbamazepine and polaprezinc, and asked the department of ophthalmology in our hospital to examine her diplopia. With the increase in serum zinc levels, the taste disorder resolved, but her periorbital pain and diplopia were aggravated, and she had to be hospitalized. As a result of extensive examinations, we suspected her painful ophthalmoplegia was due to cavernous sinus abnormalities; finally, THS was diagnosed. There was significant improvement in the periorbital pain within 48 h after the start of corticosteroid therapy. Since then, she has never suffered from painful ophthalmoplegia. This case indicates that careful evaluation and accurate diagnosis are critical in cases of painful ophthalmoplegia, and the possibility of THS should always be kept in mind.

Context Chemotherapy-induced taste disorder (CITD) is a common adverse effect among patients with cancer, with no effective known treatment. Objectives Exploring the impact of a patient-tailored complementary and integrative medicine (CIM) treatment program on CITD-related severity. Design Prospective study on patients' chart . Setting Integrative oncology program operating within the Clalit Healthcare Oncology Service in northern Israel. Patients Patients were referred by their oncology healthcare practitioner to a consultation with a CIM-trained integrative physician (IP). A patient-tailored CIM treatment program was designed, addressing quality of life (QOL)-related concerns which were evaluated using the Edmonton Symptom Assessment Scale (ESAS) and the Measure Yourself Concerns and Well-being (MYCAW) questionnaires. Results A total of 626 patients were referred to the IP consultation, with CITD-related symptoms identified in 43, 34 of them returning for follow-up. The majority of patients treated with CIM reported a reduction in symptom severity (n=29), with only 3 reporting no change, 2 an "unclear effect" and none a worsening of CITD-related symptoms. Acupuncture and herbal medicine (sage, carob and wheatgrass juice, as mouthwash or applied to the oral mucosa) were the most frequently CIM modalities used. Assessment was considered optimal for 18 of the 29 patients who reported an improvement in ESAS scores for fatigue, drowsiness and depression. We conclude that a patient-tailored CIM program is a potentially effective and safe therapeutic option for CITD-related symptoms. Further research is needed in order to explore the impact of CIM treatments on taste and appetite-related concerns during chemotherapy.

Objectives Taste disorders are relatively common, but it is unknown whether taste variations are related to ingestive behaviors and general health. We used genetic manipulation of functional chemosensory receptor neurons in the model organism Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) to determine how NaCl taste disorder leads to various changes in its behavior and lifespan. Materials and methods Two types of flies with peripheral taste deficiency were prepared and analyzed: 1) Gr5a-rpr transgenic flies, which have partially defective receptor neurons that undergo apoptosis, and 2) ΔXbs6 flies, a homeotic Pox neuro mutant that exhibits specific ablation of external taste organs, including most taste neurons, with other organs remaining intact. These flies were compared with wild-type control flies ( w 1118 ) in terms of feeding and breeding (egg-laying) behaviors, both controlled by inputs from salt-sensitive taste neurons. Results Control and Gr5a-rpr flies consumed NaCl in a dose-dependent manner, peaking at 80 mM. The ΔXbs6 flies showed significantly decreased consumption in both sexes. NaCl-based selection of egg-laying sites was almost absent in ΔXbs6 females until the fourth day after emergence, with partial inhibition thereafter. However, there was no difference in lifespan between ΔXbs6 and control flies. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that although NaCl taste disorder results in reduced feeding and breeding behaviors in Drosophila , it does not impact lifespan.

COVID-19 reached pandemic level in March 2020 and the number of confirmed cases continued to increase worldwide. The clinical course of the disease has not yet been fully characterized, and some specific symptoms related to smell, taste, and feeding behavior require further examination. The present study aimed to assess the presence of symptoms related to the feeding behavior occurred during and/or after COVID-19 in adults residing in Portugal and to link them to disease severity using a multivariate approach. Data were collected from May to September 2020, through a questionnaire answered online containing questions about general and specific symptoms before, during and after COVID-19. 362 participants were included: 201 were symptomatic, being 15 hospitalized and 186 non-hospitalized. Cluster analysis grouped the symptomatic non-hospitalized participants as mild and severe cases. For these patients, the most frequent symptoms related to the feeding process were smell disorders in 40% and 62%, taste disorders in 37% and 60%, and dry mouth, in 23% and 48% of the mild and severe cases, respectively. Dry mouth was significantly associated with difficulty to swallow, pain during swallow, choking when eating or drinking, and preference for mushy/pasty foods (p

Zinc deficiency causes various symptoms including taste disorders. In the present study, changes in expression of c-Fos immunoreactivity in neurons of the parabrachial nucleus (PBN), one of the relay nuclei for transmission of gustatory information, after bitter stimulation to the dorsal surface of the tongue were examined in zinc-deficient rats. Experimental zinc-deficient animals were created by feeding a low-zinc diet for 4 weeks, and showed the following symptoms of zinc deficiency: low body weight, low serum zinc content and behavioral changes to avoid bitter stimulation. In normal control animals, intraoral application of 1 mM quinine caused increased numbers of c-Fos-immunoreactive (c-Fos-IR) neurons in the external lateral subnucleus and external medial subnucleus of the PBN (elPBN and emPBN, respectively) compared with application of distilled water. However, in the zinc-deficient animals, the numbers of c-Fos-IR neurons in the elPBN and emPBN did not differ significantly between application of quinine and distilled water. After feeding the zinc-deficient animals a normal diet for 4 weeks, the symptoms of zinc deficiency recovered, and the expression of c-Fos-IR neurons following intraoral bitter stimulation became identical to that in the normal control animals. The present results indicate that dietary zinc deficiency causes alterations to neuronal activities in the gustatory neural circuit, and that these neuronal alterations can be reversed by changing to a normal diet.

Background To study the outcome of fluticasone nasal sprays in smell disorders and triamcinolone paste in taste dysfunction in a population of laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 patients as the test group. The control group will not be given any intervention and only monitoring of these symptoms will be done to compare the recovery time. Methods This prospective interventional study was conducted from June to Nov 2020 at, Datta Meghe University during the COVID-19 outbreak. The 120 enrolled patients were tested at days 1 and 5 after proven infection by RT-PCR test. Result The mean age for all cases is 50.88 ± 15.93 years, whereas for the controls mean age is 51.2 ± 14.89. 2. Among cases 45 (75%) were males and 15 (25%) were females, among controls 43 (71.66%) were males and 17 (28.33%) were females. Among the case group, after the use of fluticasone spray in the nose and triamcinolone paste in the mouth there was a statistically significant improvement in recognizing all the odours and taste on day 5 compared to day 1. On comparing the smell and taste of cases and control group, either there is no improvement or worsening in smell or taste on day 5 in the control group. Conclusion The use of fluticasone nasal spray and triamcinolone paste had immensely influenced the basic senses such as smell and taste. Our study showed that olfactory and taste function significantly improved in patients with COVID-19. For all anosmia and dysgeusia cases who received fluticasone nasal spray and triamcinolone medications the recovery of smell senses and the taste was within a week.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between subjective taste sensations and electrogustometry (EGM) results in patients with taste disorders according to the presence of burning mouth symptoms. Methods Forty-six patients (11 men, 53.5 ± 19.5 years; 35 women, 52.9 ± 12.9 years) with taste disturbances as a chief complaint were included. They were asked to complete a questionnaire including subjective taste sensations of 4 basic taste qualities and the pattern of taste disorders such as ageusia, hypogeusia, and dysgeusia. EGM was performed to measure detection thresholds of the chorda tympani, glossopharyngeal, and greater petrosal nerve areas in both sides. To examine the influence of burning mouth symptoms, they were divided into 2 groups: patients with (20 patients; 2 men and 18 women) and without (26 patients; 9 men and 17 women) burning mouth symptoms. The Mann-Whitney U or Kruskal-Wallis test was used to compare variables between the groups. The chi-square test or Fisher exact test for categorical variables and the Spearman correlation analysis for continuous variables were used to investigate associations. Results There were no significant differences in age and sex distribution according to the presence of burning mouth symptoms. Compared with the patients with burning mouth symptoms, those without burning mouth symptoms reported significantly lower levels of subjective taste sensations in all taste qualities and showed higher correlation levels between subjective taste sensations and EGM thresholds. Hypogeusia was the most common in both groups. Dysgeusia was more common than ageusia in the patients with burning mouth symptoms and vice versa in those without burning mouth symptoms. The pattern of taste disorders also showed more significant associations with the levels of subjective taste sensations in the patients without burning mouth symptoms than those with burning mouth symptoms. Conclusions Patients with taste disorder without burning mouth symptoms had a more severe level of taste disturbances than those with burning mouth symptoms. The pathophysiology of taste disturbances could differ according to the presence of burning mouth symptoms.

Objectives To study the prevalence, clinical course and outcomes of olfactory and taste dysfunction in COVID-19 positive adolescents. Methods This prospective study was carried out from May to August 2020. The adolescents, aged 10–19 years, who were detected COVID-19 positive by RT-PCR with mild to moderate disease were included in the study. The following epidemiological and clinical outcomes were studied: age, sex, general symptoms, olfactory and taste dysfunction. Results Out of 141 patients included in the study, there were 83 males (58.9%) and 58 females (41.1%). The age varied from 10 to 19 years with an average of 15.2 years. Forty patients (28.4%) had olfactory or taste dysfunction. Out of these 40 patients, 28 patients (19.8%) had both olfactory and taste dysfunction. Of the 34 patients (24.1%) who complained of olfactory dysfunction, 16 patients complained of hyposmia and 18 patients complained of anosmia. Dysgeusia was reported by 34 patients (24.1%). The duration of OTD varied from 2 to 15 days with an average of 5.7 days. Conclusion Loss of smell and taste are common symptoms in COVID-19 positive adolescents. It recovers spontaneously within a few weeks, along with the resolution of other symptoms.

Objective Data on taste acuity after bariatric surgery are scarce, and taste perception after sleeve gastrectomy, to our knowledge, has never been investigated. The objective of this work was to retrospectively compare taste acuity and sweetness acceptability after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and sleeve gastrectomy. Methods Subjects with a postoperative period ≥6 mo were recruited (between January and June 2012) for a non-randomized, observational study. Subjects completed sensory evaluation sessions consisting of measurement of detection thresholds for bitterness and sweetness ( N = 21), saltiness and sourness ( N = 19), and sweetness acceptability ( N = 19). Significance was established with Tukey's honest significant difference test and analysis of variance using the SAS GLM procedure. Results Sourness threshold was significantly higher among subjects who had undergone Roux-en-Y gastric bypass ( P = 0.0045). No other differences were obtained for the other thresholds or sweetness acceptability ( P > 0.05). Conclusions Further randomized studies are needed to clarify these differences.

Although zinc (Zn) deficiency is often suspected in patients with taste disorders, it may be difficult to diagnose Zn deficiency, especially in patients without any clear risk factors. Accordingly, the aim of the present study was to detect possible markers for taste disorders or zinc deficiency. To achieve this aim, we analyzed data obtained from 122 Japanese men who were not using medicines and had no diseases requiring treatment. We evaluated the following factors: awareness of dysgeusia; salty taste recognition threshold (SRT); the serum concentrations of Zn, copper (Cu), iron, alkaline phosphatase, and albumin; and the Cu/Zn ratio. The serum Cu/Zn ratio was positively correlated with the both the SRT and the awareness of dysgeusia. The serum Zn concentration was not correlated with the SRT or the awareness of dysgeusia in univariate analyses. However, in multivariate logistic regression, the serum Zn concentration was associated with the awareness of dysgeusia. In conclusion, the serum Cu/Zn ratio is a good diagnostic marker for taste disorders and the value of 1.1 may be a threshold level for detecting taste disorders.

Purpose Taste and smell alterations (TSAs) are common symptoms in patients with cancer that may interfere with nutritional intake and quality of life. In this study, we explore and describe how characteristics of self-reported TSAs change in individuals with lung cancer over time using a multiple case study approach to present longitudinal data from individuals. Methods Patients under investigation for lung cancer were recruited from one university hospital in Sweden. The 52 patients providing data eligible for the analyses presented here were those treated for primary lung cancer with three measurement time-points, of which one was prior to treatment and two after treatment start. Four self-report instruments were used for data collection. These included the Taste and Smell Survey, used to characterize TSAs for each individual at the three time-points and instruments measuring nutritional status, symptom burden and well-being. Three patient cases are described in detail to illustrate variation in individual experiences of TSAs. Results The characteristics of the TSAs experienced changed over time for many of the individuals in this study, including those undergoing surgery or stereotactic radiotherapy. The case descriptions show how the individual experiences of TSAs and the impact on daily life of these symptoms not only depend on TSA characteristics, but may be influenced by contextual factors, e.g. other symptoms and life situation. Conclusions Our results suggest that healthcare professionals need to consider the variation in characteristics of TSAs among and within patients over time, and be attentive to individual experiences of TSAs.

In this paper, we report three cases of pediatric patients with COVID-19 infection who presented with different symptoms and also anosmia and/or ageusia. The common feature of these 3 patients is that the smell and / or taste disorder developed without nasal symptoms such as nasal congestion, nasal obstruction or rhinorrhea. Although 40% of anosmies contains viral etiologies, COVID- 19 differs from other viral anosmies by the lack of nasal congestion and runny nose. Coronaviruses could invade the brain via the cribriform plate close to the olfactory bulb and the olfactory epithelium. We may expect some structural changes in the olfactory bulb so we evaluated our patient with cranial imaging.

Summary Background & aims It is estimated that zinc deficiency is responsible for 4.4% of childhood deaths in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. This review examines the impact of zinc supplementation, administered prophylactically or therapeutically, on diarrhoea. Methods Relevant published articles were identified through systematic searches of electronic databases. Bibliographies of retrieved articles were examined. Results A total of 38 studies were included in this review, 29 studies examined the effect of prophylactic zinc and nine studies examined the effects of therapeutic use of zinc for treatment of diarrhoea in children under five years. Conclusion Prophylactic zinc has been shown to be effective in decreasing both prevalence and incidence of diarrhoea, reducing respiratory infections and improving growth in children with impaired nutritional status. There is less conclusive evidence of reduction in diarrhoea duration or diarrhoea severity. While prophylactic zinc decreases mortality due to diarrhoea and pneumonia, it has not been shown to affect overall mortality. Therapeutic use of zinc for the treatment of diarrhoea in children has been shown to reduce diarrhoea incidence, stool frequency and diarrhoea duration as well as respiratory infections in zinc deficient children. However, stool output is only reduced in children with cholera. Less conclusive evidence exists for therapeutic zinc reducing mortality due to diarrhoea and respiratory infections. Specific definitions of diarrhoea severity, respiratory infection in further studies as well as examination of prophylactic zinc effectiveness in diarrhoea duration and severity effectiveness of therapeutic zinc in reducing mortality due to diarrhoea and respiratory infections are warranted.

Drug-induced taste disturbance is a common adverse drug reaction often triggered by drug secretion into saliva. Very little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms underlying salivary gland transport of xenobiotics, and most drugs are assumed to enter saliva by passive diffusion. In this study, we demonstrate that salivary glands selectively and highly express OCT3 (organic cation transporter-3), a polyspecific drug transporter in the solute carrier 22 family. OCT3 protein is localized at both basolateral (blood-facing) and apical (saliva-facing) membranes of salivary gland acinar cells, suggesting a dual role of this transporter in mediating both epithelial uptake and efflux of organic cations in the secretory cells of salivary glands. Metformin, a widely used anti-diabetic drug known to induce taste disturbance, is transported by OCT3/Oct3 in vitro. In vivo, metformin was actively transported with a high level of accumulation in the salivary glands of wild-type mice. In contrast, active uptake and accumulation of metformin in salivary glands were abolished in Oct3−/− mice. Oct3−/− mice also showed altered metformin pharmacokinetics and reduced drug exposure in the heart. These results demonstrate that OCT3 is responsible for metformin accumulation and secretion in salivary glands. Our study uncovered a novel carrier-mediated pathway for drug entry into saliva and sheds new light on the molecular mechanisms underlying drug-induced taste disorders.

This article provides an overview of the published literature in English in the past 63 years involving the management of xerostomia and other oral complications of Sjögren's syndrome. The evidence supporting studied interventions was evaluated using published criteria.

Objective Taste disturbance is known to occur as one of the adverse events associated with chemotherapy for gynecological cancer, but few studies have attempted to assess it in practical terms. Therefore, a range of taste tests was performed in gynecological cancer patients. Methods The patients were 23 women with gynecological cancer being treated with anticancer agents. Subjective symptoms of altered taste were classified, and objective findings were obtained with the following four gustatory tests: serum trace element (zinc, copper, iron) levels, tongue cultures, electrogustometry, and the filter paper disc tests. Results Of the 23 subjects, 11 perceived taste disturbances. The serum zinc level was consistently below the lower limit of normal. On tongue cultures, indigenous bacteria were seen in all patients during the entire treatment period. Electrogustometry revealed a tendency for the development of hypogeusia in the chorda tympani nerve field. Conversely, hypergeusia tended to develop gradually in the greater petrosal nerve field. The filter paper disc test revealed a tendency for the development of hypergeusia for sweetness, saltiness, and sourness in the chorda tympani nerve field. Hypogeusia for bitterness tended to develop with increasing number of chemotherapy cycles. The glossopharyngeal nerve field exhibited the same tendencies as observed in the chorda tympani nerve field. In the greater petrosal nerve field, there was a tendency for the development of hypergeusia for sweetness, sourness, and bitterness. Conclusions Abnormal test results were seen in half of patients after cancer chemotherapy.

Purpose Haematological cancer patients have an increased risk of undernourishment due to their malignancy, treatment toxicity and severe infections. This study examines whether kitchen assistants working as food caregivers increase nutritional intake and knowledge among haematological cancer patients. Methods Comparison of two cross-sectional studies with dietary assessment of patients with haematological malignancies before ( N = 42) and after ( N = 45) implementation of food caregivers. Secondly, a questionnaire concerning dietary counselling performed before ( N = 74) and after ( N = 78) the implementation. Results The energy requirements were fulfilled with 76.2% (CI 95% 64.6–87.9) and 93.3% (CI 95% 82.3–104.3) of the calculated need in the before-group and the after-group, respectively ( p = 0.03). The improvement was mainly due to increased energy intake through between meal snacks served by the food caregivers. There was no difference in protein intake between the two groups. The study showed that more than two-thirds of the patients in both groups had side effects like fatigue, loss of appetite, vomiting, xerostomia or taste disorder to a degree that affected nutritional intake. When adjusted for side effects, patients in the after-group increased energy intake by 22% (CI 95% 6.1–38.0) ( p = 0.007). After implementation of food caregivers significantly more patients stated that they were informed about their nutritional needs, 41% in the before-group and 67% in the after-group ( p = 0.001). Conclusions Educated and trained food caregivers working at the wards increase nutritional intake and knowledge among haematological cancer patients and play an important role in the multi professional nutritional management.

After total laryngectomy surgery, nasal airflow is moved permanently to the tracheostomy opening, compromising the contact of odorant molecules with the nasal cavity, which may reflect changes in the olfactory and gustatory perception in these individuals. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the functions of smell and taste in total laryngectomized patients. Study design: a study of series. METHOD: The sample included a group of 25 patients submitted to total laryngectomy and another group of 25 patients who did not underwent the procedure. The taste function was evaluated by gustatory strips of filter paper. To assess the olfactory function we employed the Brief Smell Identification Test. RESULTS: Among the laryngectomized patients there was more hypogeusia (80%, p < 0.05), as well as hyposmia (88%, p < 0.001), alone and concomitant (72%, p < 0.001). Concerning flavor discrimination, the bitter taste did not differ between the groups - which was different from the other flavors. In the olfactory aspect, laryngectomized patients performed worse in detecting warning and food-related odors. We found that a history of smoking and alcohol consumption were significantly more frequent among laryngectomized patients. CONCLUSION: We found a decrease of gustatory and olfactory functions in total laryngectomized patients in this study.

Research findings are mixed as to whether or not the inability to taste phenylthiocarbamide (PTC) might represent an endophenotypic trait marker for schizophrenia. We hypothesized associations between PTC-tasting status and select clinical characteristics and trait markers in patients with psychotic disorders that, if present, would provide support for the inability to taste PTC as a trait marker. In a first-episode psychosis sample (n=93), we measured PTC tasting, family history of psychosis, age at onset of prodrome and psychosis, severity of positive and negative symptoms, global impairment in functioning, neurological soft signs, and four neurocognitive domains (verbal learning/memory, visual learning/memory, verbal working memory, and spatial working memory). Associations between PTC-non-tasting and clinical/neurocognitive variables were examined with χ(2) tests and independent samples t tests. Among participants, 67.7% tasted PTC in comparison to a strip of control paper, and 25.8% were non-tasters. Tasters and non-tasters did not show statistically significant differences with respect to family history, age at onset, severity of symptoms, neurological soft signs, or the four neurocognitive domains. In conjunction with other findings, it is unlikely that PTC-non-tasting is a trait marker of schizophrenia, though a conclusive study is warranted.

Objective A manipulation of chorda tympani nerve (CTN) is frequently necessary during the surgical therapy of stapedial ankylosis. The aim of this study was to re-assess the taste function before and after stapes surgery in patients with unilateral stapes ankylosis. Methods Eighteen patients (14 female and 4 male) with unilateral stapedial ankylosis were included. Taste and olfactory function were measured preoperatively, 3 days and 3 months after surgery by questionnaire, chemical taste test, electrogustometry, and Sniffin'Sticks. The patients who reported deterioration in taste and revealed pathological taste test results were re-investigated 8–12 months after surgery. Postoperatively 11 patients were treated intravenously for 3 days for inner ear protection with 1 g of cortisone. The gustatory and olfactory results were compared with age and sex specific normative data. Results A significant transient decrease of gustatory measurement values was found on the ipsilateral two thirds of the anterior tongue. 12 out of 17 patients whose CTN was slightly manipulated during stapes surgery reported tongue sensations, such as numbness or gustatory blindness of the ipsilateral tongue side. The measures of chemical taste test significantly decrease in lateralized taste test on the ipsilateral side and in whole mouth testing. There was no significant increase of the EGM measures at the ipslateral tongue. In 11 of 12 patients with symptoms, complaints recovered within one year after surgery completely. The factor “cortisone” did not have a significant effect on the taste test results after surgery. Conclusion In conclusion, even after minor CTN manipulation the rate of postoperative taste disorders or tongue symptoms after stapes surgery is high. The symptoms appear to be transient. Therefore CTN should be preserved in stapes surgery after mild trauma of the CTN. Transient taste alteration should be mentioned prior to stapes surgery.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the impact of Turners syndrome (TS) and other congenital hypogonadisms (OCH) on the sense of smell and taste. DESIGN: An analytical study of three independent cohorts was designed: patients affected by TS OCH and a control group of healthy women taking contraception. SETTING: Gynaecological Endocrinology Unit and Smell Clinic in Rhinology Unit of Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty TS patients between 20 and 50 years of age receiving hormone replacement treatment (HT) were included as the exposed cohort; fourteen age-matched women with OCH taking HT were recruited; forty-three age-matched healthy controls receiving hormone contraception treatment were selected as the control group. This group was matched with an historical cohort of forty healthy women without contraception used to validate BAST-24 in Hospital Clinic of Barcelona. INTERVENTIONS: Clinical history presence of nasal symptoms general physical examination nasal endoscopy and Barcelona Smell Test-24 (BAST-24) and gustometry were carried out on all patients. MAIN MEASURES: TS physical dysmorphology features intensity of nasal symptoms and signs of nasal obstruction were collected. BAST-24 test included 24 odours to assess both sensory (detection memory and forced choice) and sensitivity (intensity irritability freshness and pleasantness) odour characteristics as well as 4 tastes to evaluate taste domains (detection and forced choice). RESULTS: Healthy women taking hormone contraception felt odours with more intensity (p=0.002) and less irritability (p

Olfaction and taste promote satisfaction and protection in daily life. The astute facial plastic surgeon recognizes the importance of a baseline smell test to document the patients' olfactory status before surgery. After surgery, the surgeon must be alert to the possible mechanisms of hyposmia and anosmia and the pertinent treatment strategies. The surgeon must also understand the importance of counseling the patient and family regarding the cause of the dysfunction and the proper treatments. This article updates the facial plastic surgeon on the importance of smell and taste and associated disorders with a current review of the literature.

Resume Le gout est une sensation percue au niveau principalement buccal, qui comporte cinq saveurs de base : sucre, sale, amer, acide et umami. Il est en relation avec l’olfaction et avec l’etat salivaire. Les troubles sont le plus souvent une dysgueusie ou une hypogueusie. Une agueusie est plus rare et une hypergueusie exceptionnelle. Devant un trouble du gout, il faut mener un entretien approfondi avec le patient pour retrouver si possible une cause. Un examen buccal et ORL, un bilan neurologique, des tests de stimulation chimiques ou electriques sont souhaitables. Les causes de troubles du gout sont tres nombreuses. Physiologiquement, l’avancee en âge, la grossesse et la menopause peuvent s’accompagner de troubles du gout. Un grand nombre de traitement peuvent etre impliques, en particulier la radiotherapie et la chimiotherapie. Des atteintes de la bouche (dents, gencives, langue, etc.) sont souvent incriminees, de meme que des carences en vitamines ou oligoelements, une intoxication alcoolique ou tabagique, un deficit de flux salivaire, des troubles psychiatriques et de nombreuses maladies comme des atteintes neurologiques chroniques ou post-traumatiques, le diabete, la cirrhose, l’insuffisance renale ou des maladies infectieuses. Les troubles du gout alterent la qualite de vie, reduisent l’appetit et sont un facteur de risque de denutrition chez la personne âgee. Leur traitement est delicat. Il passe si possible par une suppression de la cause, ou l’utilisation des exhausteurs de gout ou des conseils dietetiques. Toute denutrition associee doit etre egalement prise en charge.

Background Olfactory and gustatory distortions in the absence of odors or tastants (phantosmia and phantageusia, respectively) with accompanying loss of smell and taste acuity are relatively common symptoms that can occur without other otolaryngologic symptoms. Although treatment of these symptoms has been elusive, repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been suggested as an effective corrective therapy. Objective The objective of the study was to assess the efficacy of rTMS treatment in patients with phantosmia and phantageusia. Methods Seventeen patients with symptoms of persistent phantosmia and phantageusia with accompanying loss of smell and taste acuity were studied. Before and after treatment, patients were monitored by subjective responses and with psychophysical tests of smell function (olfactometry) and taste function (gustometry). Each patient was treated with rTMS that consisted of 2 sham procedures followed by a real rTMS procedure. Results After sham rTMS, no change in measurements of distortions or acuity occurred in any patient; after initial real rTMS, 2 patients received no benefit; but in the other 15, distortions decreased and acuity increased. Two of these 15 exhibited total inhibition of distortions and return of normal sensory acuity that persisted for over 5 years of follow-up. In the other 13, inhibition of distortions and improvement in sensory acuity gradually decreased; but repeated rTMS again inhibited their distortions and improved their acuity. Eighty-eight percent of patients responded to this therapeutic method, although repeated rTMS was necessary to induce these positive changes. Interpretation These results suggest that rTMS is a potential future therapeutic option to treat patients with the relatively common problems of persistent phantosmia and phantageusia with accompanying loss of taste and smell acuity. Additional systematic studies are necessary to confirm these results.

Objective The specific aim of this study is to measure the taste volume in healthy human subjects over a 2.5-month period and to demonstrate morphological changes of the peripheral taste organs. Material and methods Eighteen human taste buds in four fungiform papillae (fPap) were examined over a 10-week period. The fungiform papillae investigated were selected based on the form of the papillae or the arrangement of surface taste pores. Measurements were performed over 10 consecutive weeks, with five scans in a day once a week. The following parameters were measured: height and diameter of the taste bud, diameter of the fungiform papilla and diameter of the taste pore. Results The findings of this exploratory study indicated that (1) taste bud volumes changed over a 10-week period, (2) the interval between two volume maxima within the 10-week period was 3–5 weeks, and (3) the diameter of the fPap did not correlate with the volume of a single taste bud or with the volume of all taste buds in the fPap within the 10-week period. Conclusions This exploratory in vivo study revealed changes in taste bud volumes in healthy humans with age-related gustatory sensitivity. These findings need to be considered when studying the effect of denervation of fungiform papillae in vivo using confocal microscopy.

Taste and smell are critical components to a person's overall sense of well-being and quality of life. Taste related problems can cause pain and discomfort and can hinder the maintenance of a satisfying and nutritious diet. Loss of taste interferes with pleasure derived from food and food-related activities. Many drugs can affect this special sense and contribute significantly to the morbidity of the associated illness. This article gives a brief account of this problem and emphasizes the need for more awareness of the clinicians about this problem.

Taste disturbance is a common, but poorly understood, side effect of a large number of medications. This double-blind study examined the frequency, intensity, and quality of taste disturbances related to the widely used hypnotic sleep aid eszopiclone (ESZ; Lunesta, as well as their associations with age, sex, body mass index (BMI), time of day, phenyl thiocarbamide (PTC) taste sensitivity, and ESZ saliva and blood levels. Sixty six percent of 24 female subjects and 53% of 15 male subjects reported dysgeusic sensations, mostly bitter/metallic, during the drug administration (respective placebo figures 17% and 7%). No meaningful relationships were found between the frequency or the intensity of the sensations and age, BMI, or PTC taste sensitivity. Dysgeusia was more intense and longer lasting in women than in men, stronger in the morning than in the evening, and positively correlated with drug plasma and saliva levels. In women, intensity ratings decreased across treatment days. Taste test measures were marginally, at best, influenced by ESZ. This study demonstrates, for the first time, that the dysgeusia associated with ESZ is systemically influenced by a number of factors, including sex, time since drug administration, and both blood and saliva levels of the drug.

Parotid salivary levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) have been previously demonstrated to be lower than normal in patients with taste and smell dysfunction. To define these results more fully, we analyzed parotid salivary levels of cAMP and cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) with respect to severity of smell loss in these patients. Smell loss severity was defined by psychophysical measurements of olfactory function and classified into 4 types from most severe to least severe loss. This resulted in patients exhibiting, in order of loss severity (from greatest to least), anosmia > type I hyposmia > type II hyposmia > type III hyposmia. Parotid saliva cAMP and cGMP were measured independently using a sensitive spectrophotometric 96-plate enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique; mean levels were categorized by clinical classification of loss severity. As smell loss severity decreased, salivary cAMP and cGMP levels increased consistently with each stepwise change of clinical loss severity. This is the first demonstration of biochemical changes in saliva associated with a quantitative classification of smell loss. These results reflect a biochemical method to identify and classify patients with smell loss in some respects similar to initial typing of serum lipid levels to assist in risk classification of patients with cardiovascular disease.

Taste impairment is a complication of Diabetes mellitus and some studies have shown this taste disorder in diabetes. Diabetes can decrease the ability of individuals to detect and recognize sweet, salty and bitter tastes. alpha-Gustducin is a transducin-like G-protein selectively expressed in 20 - 30% of taste receptor cells, which has been shown to be involved in bitter, sweet and umami taste responses. The present study was performed to explore the protein and mRNA expression of alpha-gustducin in the taste buds of diabetic and control rat circumvallate papillae. Our results showed that the positive expression of alpha-gustducin in diabetic rat taste bud cells is higher than that in normal controls as shown by both immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. There may be some variant of bitter, sweet or umami taste transduction during diabetes and that taste transduction variant may be one cause of diabetic taste impairment.

Taste and smell changes (TSCs) are known side effects of chemotherapy, but smell changes (SCs) in the absence of taste changes are understudied. This study aims to explore SCs occurring without taste changes during chemotherapy, to better understand the characteristics of such changes, and how these experiences affect patients in their daily lives. Data derives from a qualitative interview study and a cross-sectional survey of 518 patients, with all patients receiving out-patient cancer chemotherapy in Sweden. Case studies of three patients with SCs and the 8% of survey participants with SCs only are in focus. All 43 participants with exclusively SCs reported increased sensitivity to one or several odors, with no participants reporting decreased sensitivity. Those reporting SCs significantly more often reported weight gain than those reporting TSCs, with oral problems and appetite loss significantly less common in the SC group. There were no differences in reported nausea between SC and TSC groups, but nausea was more common in the SC group than in those without TSCs. The case study reports were linked to and discussed in relation to possible explanatory models for increased olfactory sensitivity. SCs increase during chemotherapy, were often unpredictable and led to emotional consequences. The participants all reported heightened sensitivity to one or several odors which could not fully be explained by the potential explanatory models of anticipatory nausea and vomiting, pseudohallucinations, or increased chemical sensitivity.

Resumen El sindrome de la boca urente (SBU) se refiere a la sensacion de dolor, ardor o escozor, localizado en la lengua o en otra zona de la cavidad oral, sin causa organica objetivable en el examen fisico. La sensacion de boca urente puede aparecer en algunas enfermedades cutaneas o sistemicas, que habra que descartar antes de establecer el diagnostico de SBU, ya que dicho termino se refiere exclusivamente a las formas idiopaticas y se encuadra dentro de los trastornos sensitivos (o sensoriales) cutaneos. En la mayoria de los casos los pacientes con boca urente presentan alteraciones psiquicas o psiquiatricas acompanantes. Por este motivo el SBU se ha incluido clasicamente entre las psicodermatosis. En el momento actual no esta claro si los factores psiquicos son causa o consecuencia o simplemente se exacerban mutuamente. Estudios recientes proponen una etiologia neurologica, ya sea de tipo neuropatico o en relacion con el sentido del gusto.

Objectives. The aim of this study was to determine if there was a significant association between the presence of altered mouth and taste sensations with oral carriage of yeasts and to assess the factors that influence the yeast carriage. Study design. The oral and dental status including unstimulated (USFR) and stimulated (SSFR) whole salivary flow rates of a total of 509 subjects was recorded. Saliva specimens were collected for microbiologic examination. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to identify any factors that were significantly associated with the prevalence of oral yeasts. Results. Old age, clinical signs of oral dryness, denture wearing, and a reduction in USFR increased the prevalence of yeasts, whereas patient gender, levels of dentition, the sensation of dry or burning mouth, taste disorders, and SSFR were not associated with increased prevalence of oral yeasts. Conclusions. An increased prevalence of oral yeasts was not found to relate to changes in mouth sensation alone. Other factors, most notably patient age, the wearing of dentures, clinical signs of oral dryness, and salivary flow rate under rest conditions, were, however, found to be closely associated with oral yeast carriage.

Research into the underlying mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction in Alzheimer's disease (AD) has relied traditionally on tasks such as the water maze which evaluate spatial learning and memory. Since non-spatial forms of memory are also disrupted by AD, it is critical to establish other paradigms capable of investigating these deficits. Utilizing a non-spatial learning task, acquisition of conditioned taste aversion (CTA) was evaluated in a mouse model of AD. This line of transgenic mice encode a mutated allele of the human amyloid precursor protein (APP) and presenilin 1 (PS1) genes and exhibit extensive amyloid plaque deposition in the brain by 6-7 mo of age. Compared with wild-type mice, 10-17 month old APP/PS1 mice failed to acquire CTA to saccharin. Mice that only possessed one of the two mutations were able to acquire CTA to the saccharin. In 2-5 month old APP/PS1 mice acquisition of CTA was disrupted despite the lack of extensive plaque deposition. However, further analysis indicated a potential gender difference in both the CTA deficit and onset of plaque deposition with females showing greater conditioned aversion.