Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

“Taste Strips” – A rapid, lateralized, gustatory bedside identification test based on impregnated filter papers

  • ORIGINAL COMMUNICATION
  • Published:
Journal of Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

To elaborate normative values for a clinical psychophysical taste test (“Taste Strips”).

Background

The “Taste Strips” are a psychophysical chemical taste test. So far, no definitive normative data had been published and only a fairly small sample size has been investigated. In light of this shortcoming for this easy, reliable and quick taste testing device, we attempted to provide normative values suitable for the clinical use.

Setting

Normative value acquisition study, multicenter study.

Methods

The investigation involved 537 participants reporting a normal sense of smell and taste (318 female, 219 male, mean age 44 years, age range 18–87 years). The taste test was based on spoonshaped filter paper strips (“Taste Strips”) impregnated with the four (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) taste qualities in four different concentrations. The strips were placed on the left or right side of the anterior third of the extended tongue, resulting in a total of 32 trials. With their tongue still extended, patients had to identify the taste from a list of four descriptors, i. e., sweet, sour, salty, and bitter (multiple forcedchoice). To obtain an impression of overall gustatory function, the number of correctly identified tastes was summed up for a “taste score”.

Results

Taste function decreased significantly with age. Women exhibited significantly higher taste scores than men which was true for all age groups. The taste score at the 10th percentile was selected as a cut-off value to distinguish normogeusia from hypogeusia. Results from a small series of patients with ageusia confirmed the clinical usefulness of the proposed normative values.

Conclusion

The present data provide normative values for the “Taste Strips” based on over 500 subjects tested.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Ahne G, Erras A, Hummel T, Kobal G (2000) Assessment of gustatory function by means of tasting tablets. Laryngoscope 110:1396–1401

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Caruso S, Grillo C, Agnello C, Di Mari L, Farina M, Serra A (2004) Olfactometric and rhinomanometric outcomes in post-menopausal women treated with hormone therapy: a prospective study. Hum Reprod 19:2959–2964

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Chandrashekar J, Hoon MA, Ryba NJ, Zuker CS (2006) The receptors and cells for mammalian taste. Nature 444:288–294

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Chaudhari N, Landin AM, Roper SD (2000) A metabotropic glutamate receptor variant functions as a taste receptor. Nat Neurosci 3:113–119

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Chauhan J (1989) Relationships between sour and salt taste perception and selected subject attributes. J Am Diet Assoc 89:652–658

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Deems DA, Doty RL, Settle RG, Moore- Gillon V, Shaman P, Mester AF, Kimmelman CP, Brightman VJ, Snow JB Jr (1991) Smell and taste disorders, a study of 750 patients from the University of Pennsylvania Smell and Taste Center. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 117:519–528

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Dhong HJ, Chung SK, Doty RL (1999) Estrogen protects against 3-methylindole- induced olfactory loss. Brain Res 824:312–315

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Doty RL (1978) Gender and reproductive state correlates of taste perception in humans. In: McGill TE, Dewsbury DA, Sachs BD (eds) Sex and behaviour: status and prospectus. Plenum, New York, pp 337–362

  9. Doty RL, Shaman P, Applebaum SL, Giberson R, Siksorski L, Rosenberg L (1984) Smell identification ability: changes with age. Science 226:1441–1443

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Doty RL, Shaman P, Dann M (1984) Development of the University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test: a standardized microencapsulated test of olfactory function. Physiol Behav 32:489–502

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Doty RL, Shaman P, Kimmelman CP, Dann MS (1984) University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test: a rapid quantitative olfactory function test for the clinic. Laryngoscope 94:176–178

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Fikentscher R, Roseburg B, Spinar H, Bruchmuller W (1977) Loss of taste in the elderly: sex differences. Clin Otolaryngol Allied Sci 2:183–189

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Gudziol H, Hummel T (2006) Normative values for the assessment of gustatory function using liquid tastants. Acta Oto-Laryngologica 127(6):658–661

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. Heckmann JG, Stossel C, Lang CJ, Neundorfer B, Tomandl B, Hummel T (2005) Taste disorders in acute stroke: a prospective observational study on taste disorders in 102 stroke patients. Stroke 36:1690–1694

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Henkin RI, Christiansen RL (1967) Taste localization on the tongue, palate, and pharynx of normal man. J Appl Physiol 22:316–320

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Henkin RI, Gill JR, Bartter FC (1963) Studies on taste thresholds in normal man and in patients with adrenal cortical insuffinciency: the role of adrenal cortical steroids and the serum sodium concentration. J Clin Invest 42:727–735

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Henkin RI, Shallenberger RS (1970) Aglycogeusia: the inability to recognize sweetness and its possible molecular basis. Nature 227:965–966

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Hinrichs AL, Wang JC, Bufe B, Kwon JM, Budde J, Allen R, Bertelsen S, Evans W, Dick D, Rice J, Foroud T, Nurnberger J, Tischfield JA, Kuperman S, Crowe R, Hesselbrock V, Schuckit M, Almasy L, Porjesz B, Edenberg HJ, Begleiter H, Meyerhof W, Bierut LJ, Goate AM (2006) Functional Variant in a Bitter-Taste Receptor (hTAS2R16) Influences Risk of Alcohol Dependence. Am J Hum Genet 78:103–111

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hummel T, Erras A, Kobal G (1997) A test for the screening of taste function. Rhinology 35:146–148

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hyde RJ, Feller RP (1981) Age and sex effects on taste of sucrose, NaCl, citric acid and caffeine. Neurobiol Aging 2:315–318

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Just T, Pau HW, Bombor I, Guthoff RF, Fietkau R, Hummel T (2005) Confocal microscopy of the peripheral gustatory system: comparison between healthy subjects and patients suffering from taste disorders during radiochemotherapy. Laryngoscope 115:2178–2182

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Kamel UF (2004) Hypogeusia as a complication of uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and use of taste strips as a practical tool for quantifying hypogeusia. Acta Otolaryngol 124:1235–1236

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Kobal G, Klimek L, Wolfensberger M, Gudziol H, Temmel A, Owen CM, Seeber H, Pauli E, Hummel T (2000) Multicenter investigation of 1,036 subjects using a standardized method for the assessment of olfactory function combining tests of odor identification, odor discrimination, and olfactory thresholds. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 257:205–211

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Kolble N, Hummel T, von Mering R, Huch A, Huch R (2001) Gustatory and olfactory function in the first trimester of pregnancy. Eur J Obstet Gynecol Reprod Biol 99:179–183

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Krarup B (1958) Electro-Gustometry: A method for clinical taste examinations. Acta Otolaryngol 49:294–305

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Krarup B (1959) Electrogustometric examinations in cerebellopontine tumors and on taste pathways. Neurology 9:53–61

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Krarup B (1958) On the technique of gustatory examinations. Acta Otolaryngol 49:195–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Krarup B (1958) Taste reactions of patients with Bell‘s palsy. Acta Otolaryngol 49:389–399

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Landis BN, Beutner D, Frasnelli J, Huttenbrink KB, Hummel T (2005) Gustatory Function in Chronic Inflammatory Middle Ear Diseases. Laryngoscope 115:1124–1127

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Landis BN, Giger R, Dulguerov P, Hugentobler M, Hummel T, Lacroix JS (2007) Gustatory function after microlaryngoscopy. Acta Otolaryngol 127:1086–1090

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Landis BN, Konnerth CG, Hummel T (2004) A Study on the Frequency of Olfactory Dysfunction. Laryngoscope 114:1764–1769

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Landis BN, Lacroix JS (2006) Postoperative/ Posttraumatic gustatory dysfunction. In: Hummel T, Welge-Luessen A (eds) Taste and Smell. An Update (Adv Otorhinolaryngol.). Karger, Basel, pp 242–254

  33. Landis BN, Leuchter I, San Millan Ruiz D, Lacroix JS, Landis T (2006) Transient hemiageusia in cerebrovascular lateral pontine lesions. J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry 77:680–683

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Lang CJ, Leuschner T, Ulrich K, Stossel C, Heckmann JG, Hummel T (2006) Taste in dementing diseases and parkinsonism. J Neurol Sci 248:177–184

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Lehman CD, Bartoshuk LM, Catalanotto FC, Kveton JF, Lowlicht RA (1995) Effect of anesthesia of the chorda tympani nerve on taste perception in humans. Physiol Behav 57:943–951

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Mueller C, Kallert S, Renner B, Stiassny K, Temmel AF, Hummel T, Kobal G (2003) Quantitative assessment of gustatory function in a clinical context using impregnated “taste strips”. Rhinology 41:2–6

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Mueller CA, Khatib S, Landis BN, Temmel AF, Hummel T (2007) Gustatory function after tonsillectomy. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 133:668–671

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Nakazato M, Endo S, Yoshimura I, Tomita H (2002) Influence of aging on electrogustometry thresholds. Acta Otolaryngol Suppl:16–26

  39. Nordin S, Bramerson A, Bringlov E, Kobal G, Hummel T, Bende M (2007) Substance and tongue-region specific loss in basic taste-quality identification in elderly adults. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 264:285–289

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Sakagami M, Sone M, Tsuji K, Fukazawa K, Mishiro Y (2003) Rate of recovery of taste function after preservation of chorda tympani nerve in middle ear surgery with special reference to type of disease. Ann Otol Rhinol Laryngol 112:52–56

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Shiffman D, Ellis SG, Rowland CM, Malloy MJ, Luke MM, Iakoubova OA, Pullinger CR, Cassano J, Aouizerat BE, Fenwick RG, Reitz RE, Catanese JJ, Leong DU, Zellner C, Sninsky JJ, Topol EJ, Devlin JJ, Kane JP (2005) Identification of four gene variants associated with myocardial infarction. Am J Hum Genet 77:596–605

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  42. Simon SA, de Araujo IE, Gutierrez R, Nicolelis MA (2006) The neural mechanisms of gustation: a distributed processing code. Nat Rev Neurosci 7:890–901

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  43. Sone M, Sakagami M, Tsuji K, Mishiro Y (2001) Younger patients have a higher rate of recovery of taste function after middle ear surgery. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 127:967–969

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  44. Soter A, Kim J, Jackman A, Tourbier I, Kaul A, Doty RL (2008) Accuracy of Self-Report in Detecting Taste Dysfunction. Laryngoscope 118(4):611–617

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  45. Stevens DA, Lawless HT (1981) Agerelated changes in flavor perception. Appetite 2:127–136

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  46. Stillman JA, Morton RP, Hay KD, Ahmad Z, Goldsmith D (2003) Electrogustometry: strengths, weaknesses, and clinical evidence of stimulus boundaries. Clin Otolaryngol 28:406–410

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  47. Tomofuji S, Sakagami M, Kushida K, Terada T, Mori H, Kakibuchi M (2005) Taste disturbance after tonsillectomy and laryngomicrosurgery. Auris Nasus Larynx 32:381–386

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  48. Yousem DM, Maldjian JA, Siddiqi F, Hummel T, Alsop DC, Geckle RJ, Bilker WB, Doty RL (1999) Gender effects on odor-stimulated functional magnetic resonance imaging. Brain Res 818:480–487

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Département des Neurosciences cliniques, Unité de Rhinologie-Olfactologie, Service d’Oto-Rhino-Laryngologie, Hôpitaux Universitaires de Genève, Rue Micheli-du-Crest 24, 1211, Geneva, Switzerland

    B. N. Landis

  2. Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    A. Welge-Luessen

  3. Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, Central Hospital, Skövde, Sweden

    A. Brämerson & M. Bende

  4. Dept. of Otorhinolaryngology, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    C. A. Mueller

  5. Dept. of Psychology, University of Umea, Umea, Sweden

    S. Nordin

  6. Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden Medical School, (“Technische Universität Dresden”), Dresden, Germany

    T. Hummel

Authors
  1. B. N. Landis
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Welge-Luessen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. A. Brämerson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. M. Bende
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. C. A. Mueller
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. S. Nordin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. T. Hummel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B. N. Landis.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Landis, B.N., Welge-Luessen, A., Brämerson, A. et al. “Taste Strips” – A rapid, lateralized, gustatory bedside identification test based on impregnated filter papers. J Neurol 256, 242–248 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-0088-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00415-009-0088-y

Key words

Search

Navigation