Faculty Opinions recommendation of Sensory biology. Evolution of sweet taste perception in hummingbirds by transformation of the ancestral umami receptor.

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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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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Is Sweet Taste Perception Associated with Sweet Food Liking and Intake?

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu9070750 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 9 (7) ◽

pp. 750 ◽

Cited By ~ 45

Author(s):

Shakeela Jayasinghe ◽

Rozanne Kruger ◽

Daniel Walsh ◽

Guojiao Cao ◽

Stacey Rivers ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Sweet Food ◽

Food Liking

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

Hereditas ◽

10.1111/j.1601-5223.1959.tb03070.x ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 45 (4) ◽

pp. 597-622 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

GUNNAR SKUDE

Keyword(s):

Sweet Taste ◽

Taste Perception

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The threshold of sweet taste recognition among a sample of Moroccan population

Nutrition & Food Science ◽

10.1108/nfs-01-2021-0023 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Yasmine Guennoun ◽

Nada Benajiba ◽

Khalid Elkari ◽

Amina Bouziani ◽

Laila Elammari ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Age Groups ◽

Sweet Taste ◽

Test Method ◽

Recognition Threshold ◽

Taste Perception ◽

Choice Test ◽

Sample Population ◽

Content Type ◽

Mean Values ◽

Moroccan Population

Purpose Sugar consumption in Morocco is high, which is involved in triggering serious health conditions. Hence, assessing the recognition threshold of sweet taste among Moroccans is strongly needed. This study aims to determine the threshold of sweet taste recognition and to evaluate differences by sex, age and body mass index among a sample of Moroccan population. Design/methodology/approach This single-blind trial was conducted among 199 healthy participants to determine the sweet taste. Age and anthropometric characteristics were registered. Nine sucrose solutions of the following concentrations (0; 0.111; 0.333; 1; 3; 9; 27; 81; 243 mmol/L) were prepared. Sweet taste perception thresholds were determined based on the validated 3-alternative forced choice test method. Findings The average age of the sample population was 21.5 ± 26.1. And more than half (51.7%) detected the taste at the concentration of 9 mmol/L, while 91.9% recognized it at a concentration of 27 mmol/L. In terms of sex, the recognition of taste was not different between females and males (p > 0.05). The mean values of the threshold among women were significantly lower (20 ± 20.8 mmol/L) compared to men (23.9 ± 33.2 mmol/L). The age group 49–59 years old had the lowest threshold with a mean of 13.4 ± 10.2 mmol/L, and the groups with BMI in the overweight category had mean of 16.9 ± 18.2 mmol/L. However, no statistical difference was observed among either age groups or BMI categories. Originality/value The sweet recognition threshold among the studied population is high. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to educate the population about the necessity of a progressive reduction of sugar in food items to combat non-communicable disorders.

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