Development of Sweet Taste Perception: Implications for Artificial Sweetener Use

The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis about differences in sweet taste perception in the group of preschool children with and without caries, and to determine its relationship with cariogenic microbiota and the frequency of sweets consumption in children. The study group included of 63 children aged 2–6 years: 32 with caries and 31 without caries. The study consisted of collecting questionnaire data and assessment of dental status using the decayed, missing, filled in primary teeth index (dmft) and the International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS II). The evaluation of sweet taste perception was carried out using a specific method that simultaneously assessed the level of taste preferences and the sensitivity threshold for a given taste. The microbiological analysis consisted of the assessment of the quantitative and qualitative compositions of the oral microbiota of the examined children. The sweet taste perception of children with caries was characterized by a lower susceptibility to sucrose (the preferred sucrose solution concentration was >4 g/L) compared to children without caries (in the range ≤ 4 g/L, p = 0.0015, chi-square test). A similar relationship was also observed for frequent snacking between meals (p = 0.0038, chi-square test). The analysis of studied variables showed the existence of a strong positive correlation between the perception of sweet taste and the occurrence and intensity of the cariogenic process (p = 0.007 for dmft; and p = 0.012 for ICDAS II), as well as the frequency of consuming sweets (p ≤ 0.001 for frequent and repeated consumption of sweets during the day, Spearman test) in children with caries. Additionally, children with an elevated sucrose taste threshold were more than 10-times more likely to develop S. mutans presence (OR = 10.21; 95% CI 3.11–33.44). The results of this study suggest the future use of taste preferences in children as a diagnostic tool for the early detection of increased susceptibility to caries through microbial dysbiosis towards specific species of microorganisms.

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Orosensory Perception of Fat/Sweet Stimuli and Appetite-Regulating Peptides before and after Sleeve Gastrectomy or Gastric Bypass in Adult Women with Obesity

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13030878 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (3) ◽

pp. 878

Author(s):

Arnaud Bernard ◽

Johanne Le Beyec-Le Bihan ◽

Loredana Radoi ◽

Muriel Coupaye ◽

Ouidad Sami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Bariatric Surgery ◽

Gastric Bypass ◽

Sleeve Gastrectomy ◽

Gut Hormones ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Taste Sensitivity ◽

Adult Women ◽

Before And After ◽

The Impact

The aim of this study was to explore the impact of bariatric surgery on fat and sweet taste perceptions and to determine the possible correlations with gut appetite-regulating peptides and subjective food sensations. Women suffering from severe obesity (BMI > 35 kg/m2) were studied 2 weeks before and 6 months after a vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG, n = 32) or a Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB, n = 12). Linoleic acid (LA) and sucrose perception thresholds were determined using the three-alternative forced-choice procedure, gut hormones were assayed before and after a test meal and subjective changes in oral food sensations were self-reported using a standardized questionnaire. Despite a global positive effect of both surgeries on the reported gustatory sensations, a change in the taste sensitivity was only found after RYGB for LA. However, the fat and sweet taste perceptions were not homogenous between patients who underwent the same surgery procedure, suggesting the existence of two subgroups: patients with and without taste improvement. These gustatory changes were not correlated to the surgery-mediated modifications of the main gut appetite-regulating hormones. Collectively these data highlight the complexity of relationships between bariatric surgery and taste sensitivity and suggest that VSG and RYGB might impact the fatty taste perception differently.

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Measures of anhedonia and hedonic responses to sucrose in depressive and schizophrenic patients in comparison with healthy subjects

European Psychiatry ◽

10.1016/s0924-9338(98)80048-5 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 303-309 ◽

Cited By ~ 101

Author(s):

I Berlin ◽

L Givry-Steiner ◽

Y Lecrubier ◽

AJ Puech

Keyword(s):

Major Depression ◽

Healthy Subjects ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Social Anhedonia ◽

Perception Threshold ◽

Sucrose Solutions ◽

Scale Scores ◽

Schizophrenic Patients ◽

Depressive Patients

SummaryAnhedonia may be considered as a transnosological feature of depression and schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to assess hedonic responses to sucrose solutions and sweet taste perception threshold in patients with major depression and in schizophrenic patients in comparison with healthy subjects (matched for age and gender with depressive patients), and to compare these responses to evaluations by the Physical and Social Anhedonia scale of Chapman and the Pleasure Scale of Fawcett, generally used to quantify anhedonia. Hedonic responses to sucrose solutions were similar in patients with major depression (n = 20), schizophrenia (n = 20), and healthy controls (n = 20). Sweet taste perception threshold was significantly higher in depressive patients than in controls. Hedonic response to sucrose was inversely correlated with physical Anhedonia Scores and sweet taste perception threshold with Pleasure Scale scores. Measures of hedonia/anhedonia were not related with the intensity of depression or anxiety as measured by the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale, respectively. In 11 depressed patients hospitalised for 17 to 33 days, neither hedonic ratings to sucrose solutions, sweet taste perception threshold, Physical, Social Anhedonia scores nor Pleasure Scale scores were modified in spite of substantial decrease in MADRS or Hamilton Anxiety scores. Hedonic responses to sucrose solutions and sweet taste perception threshold may be used as complementary evaluation to quantify anhedonia.

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Taste Perception and Cerebral Activity in the Human Gustatory Cortex Induced by Glucose, Fructose, and Sucrose Solutions

Chemical Senses ◽

10.1093/chemse/bjz034 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 44 (7) ◽

pp. 435-447 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Thomas Mouillot ◽

Sophie Barthet ◽

Lucie Janin ◽

Camille Creteau ◽

Hervé Devilliers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Taste Receptor ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Molar Concentration ◽

Cortical Activation ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Gustatory Cortex ◽

Intensity Perception ◽

Sucrose Solutions ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Sweetness Intensity

Abstract Glucose, fructose, and sucrose are important carbohydrates in Western diets with particular sweetness intensity and metabolisms. No study has compared their cerebral detection and their taste perception. Gustatory evoked potentials (GEPs), taste detection thresholds, intensity perception, and pleasantness were compared in response to glucose, fructose, and sucrose solutions at similar sweetness intensities and at identical molar concentrations. Twenty-three healthy subjects were randomly stimulated with 3 solutions of similar sweetness intensity (0.75 M of glucose, 0.47 M of fructose and 0.29 M of sucrose – sit. A), and with an identical molar concentration (0.29 M – sit. B). GEPs were recorded at gustatory cortex areas. Intensity perception and hedonic values of each solution were evaluated as were gustatory thresholds of the solutions. No significant difference was observed concerning the GEP characteristics of the solutions according to their sweetness intensities (sit. A) or their molar concentration (sit. B). In sit. A, the 3 solutions were perceived to have similar intensities and induced similar hedonic sensations. In sit. B, the glucose solution was perceived to be less intense and pleasant than the fructose and the sucrose solutions (P < 0.001) and the fructose solution was perceived to be less intense and pleasant than the sucrose (P < 0.001). Since GEP recordings were similar for glucose, fructose, and sucrose solutions whatever the concentrations, activation of same taste receptor induces similar cortical activation, even when the solutions were perceived differently. Sweet taste perception seems to be encoded by a complex chemical cerebral neuronal network.

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STUDIES IN SWEET TASTE PERCEPTION FOR PHENYLTHIOUREA (P.T.C.)

Hereditas ◽

10.1111/j.1601-5223.1963.tb01905.x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 50 (2-3) ◽

pp. 196-202 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

GUNNAR SKUDE

Keyword(s):

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception

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Genetic differences in sweet taste perception

Optimizing sweet taste in foods ◽

10.1201/9781439824221.ch2 ◽

2006 ◽

Author(s):

V Duffy ◽

J Hayes ◽

M Dinehart

Keyword(s):

Sweet Taste ◽

Genetic Differences ◽

Taste Perception

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Effect of the artificial sweetener, sucralose, on gastric emptying and incretin hormone release in healthy subjects

AJP Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpgi.90708.2008 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 296 (4) ◽

pp. G735-G739 ◽

Cited By ~ 155

Author(s):

Jing Ma ◽

Max Bellon ◽

Judith M. Wishart ◽

Richard Young ◽

L. Ashley Blackshaw ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Blood Glucose ◽

Gastric Emptying ◽

Normal Saline ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Artificial Sweetener ◽

Healthy Humans ◽

Sweet Taste Receptors ◽

Glucagon Like Peptide 1 ◽

Gip Release ◽

Glucose Plasma

The incretin hormones, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), play an important role in glucose homeostasis in both health and diabetes. In mice, sucralose, an artificial sweetener, stimulates GLP-1 release via sweet taste receptors on enteroendocrine cells. We studied blood glucose, plasma levels of insulin, GLP-1, and GIP, and gastric emptying (by a breath test) in 7 healthy humans after intragastric infusions of 1) 50 g sucrose in water to a total volume of 500 ml (∼290 mosmol/l), 2) 80 mg sucralose in 500 ml normal saline (∼300 mosmol/l, 0.4 mM sucralose), 3) 800 mg sucralose in 500 ml normal saline (∼300 mosmol/l, 4 mM sucralose), and 4) 500 ml normal saline (∼300 mosmol/l), all labeled with 150 mg 13C-acetate. Blood glucose increased only in response to sucrose ( P < 0.05). GLP-1, GIP, and insulin also increased after sucrose ( P = 0.0001) but not after either load of sucralose or saline. Gastric emptying of sucrose was slower than that of saline ( t50: 87.4 ± 4.1 min vs. 74.7 ± 3.2 min, P < 0.005), whereas there were no differences in t50 between sucralose 0.4 mM (73.7 ± 3.1 min) or 4 mM (76.7 ± 3.1 min) and saline. We conclude that sucralose, delivered by intragastric infusion, does not stimulate insulin, GLP-1, or GIP release or slow gastric emptying in healthy humans.

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Persistent Epigenetic Reprogramming of Sweet Taste by Diet

10.1101/2020.03.25.007773 ◽

2020 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Anoumid Vaziri ◽

Morteza Khabiri ◽

Brendan T. Genaw ◽

Christina E. May ◽

Peter L. Freddolino ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Neural Plasticity ◽

Molecular Mechanisms ◽

Control Diet ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Epigenetic Mechanism ◽

High Sugar ◽

Epigenetic Regulator ◽

Transcriptional Changes ◽

Gustatory Neurons

AbstractDiets rich in sugar, salt, and fat alter taste perception and food intake, leading to obesity and metabolic disorders, but the molecular mechanisms through which this occurs are unknown. Here we show that in response to a high sugar diet, the epigenetic regulator Polycomb Repressive Complex 2.1 (PRC2.1) persistently reprograms the sensory neurons of D. melanogaster flies to reduce sweet sensation and promote obesity. In animals fed high sugar, the binding of PRC2.1 to the chromatin of the sweet gustatory neurons is redistributed to repress a developmental transcriptional network that modulates the responsiveness of these cells to sweet stimuli, reducing sweet sensation. Importantly, half of these transcriptional changes persist despite returning the animals to a control diet, causing a permanent decrease in sweet taste. Our results uncover a new epigenetic mechanism that, in response to the dietary environment, regulates neural plasticity and feeding behavior to promote obesity.

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