Abstract
Electrogustometry has been widely used for examination of taste disturbance due to facial nerve paralysis or chronic otitis media. Another method of gustometry using taste substances, which has also been in frequent practice, has its drawbacks such as the inability to determine the localization of the disturbance and to attain quantitative evaluation.
The filter paper disc method may be able to overcome these drawbacks. A total of 122 cases including those with chronic otitis media, facial palsy and glossitis were examined by both the filter paper disc method and electrogustometry, and the results from each measurement were then compared to assess the quality of the filter paper disc method.
The results: 1. Results of the two tests conformed best at the areas innervated by the chorda tympani nerve, followed by the area innervated by the glossopharyngeal nerve and then the area by the greater petrosal nerve. 2. A discrepancy in the results was seen in not a few cases. 3. The two results matched relatively well in such cases as facial nerve paralysis and chronic otitis media. This means that the filter paper disc method has satisfactory quantitative reoponse as in electrogustometry. 4. There was a marked elevation of threshold in patients over 45 years old both in the filter paper disc method and electrogus ometry.
