Gustatory and olfactory dysfunction in dementia: Not specific to Alzheimer's disease

• Published in: Neurobiology of aging Vol. 11; no. 6; pp. 597 - 600
• Main Authors: Schiffman, Susan S., Clark, Christopher M., Warwick, Zoe S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Elsevier Inc 01.11.1990; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alzheimer Disease - complications; Alzheimer Disease - physiopathology; Alzheimer's disease; Biological and medical sciences; Cognition Disorders - physiopathology; Dementia; Dementia - complications; Dementia - physiopathology; Disorders of higher nervous function. Focal brain diseases. Central vestibular syndrome and deafness. Brain stem syndromes; Glutamate; Glutamates - pharmacology; Humans; Medical sciences; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Olfaction; Quinine - pharmacology; Smell - physiology; Taste; Taste Disorders - etiology; Taste Disorders - physiopathology; Taste; Glutamate; Alzheimer's disease; Olfaction; Dementia; Human; Nervous system diseases; Alzheimer disease; Sensorial perception; Degenerative disease; Olfactory disorder; Taste disorder
• ISSN: 0197-4580; 1558-1497
• DOI: 10.1016/0197-4580(90)90023-S

Significant losses in the ability to detect the taste of glutamic acid and to recognize odorants were found in demented patients when compared with age-matched controls. These losses were not specific to patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) but were also found in demented patients without AD. Detection thresholds for bitter-tasting quinine HCl were not higher in demented patients than in age-matched controls but were higher than thresholds in young subjects. These data suggest that losses in taste in demented patients may vary with the chemical structure of the tastant. The degree of loss in the ability to recognize odorants was greater in patients with a family history of senile dementia.