Abstract
Phenylthiocarbamide ( PTC ) is extremely bitter substance for most people but the compound is tasteless or slightly bitter taste for some people. The former are called tasters for PTC and latter non-tasters for PTC. We measured thresholds to phenylthiocarbamide ( PTC ) in the students, aged 19 to 37, in Nagasaki University School of Dentistry. The percentage of non-tasters for PTC was 10.9% in 110 dental students. The distribution of non-tasters was 11.8% in 51 female students and 10.2% in 59 male students. We also investigated the electric taste-sensitivity on six regions of oral cavities using electrogustometry in the same students. The electrogustometric sensitivity between on the soft palate and the posterior region of the tongue was significantly different in tasters and non-tasters. We found that non-tasters were higher electrogustometric sensitivity on the soft palate than the posterior region of the tongue. [J Physiol Sci. 2007;57 Suppl:S108]
