2020 Volume 33 Issue 2 Pages 89-96
Objective: There have been many reports on age-associated changes in taste, with most demonstrating taste thresholds to increase with age. However, the period when age-associated changes in taste and deterioration of taste quality begin, and influencing factors, remain unclear. The aim of this study was to investigate age-related changes in taste and lingual somatosensory function on the anterior tongue.
Subjects and Methods: The investigation involved 1200 subjects comprising 560 men and 640 women, with a mean age of 43.6 years and age range from 6 to 88 years. Electrogustometry （EGM, n＝1,200）, filter paper disc test （FPD, n＝885）, two-point discrimination （n＝166）, and electrostimulation （n＝107） were performed on the healthy side before middle ear surgery. Taste and lingual somatosensory sensitivities were assessed on the anterior tongue region.
Results: The thresholds of all tests increased with age. Significant differences in the thresholds on EGM and FPD were found in subjects from their 50s. The threshold of sweet taste was not significantly different among the age groups, except between those in their 10s and 50s. Women had lower thresholds on both EGM and FPD than men. There was a significant correlation between the lingual somatosensory thresholds and age, even in children and young subjects.
Conclusions: Taste and lingual somatosensory functions deteriorated with age; however, sensitivity to sweet taste was less affected by aging than the other tastes. The somatosensory threshold on the tongue increased linearly from the pediatric period.
