Jennifer A Stillman | PubMed Health

PubMed2005

Patterns of sensory recovery in the lingual nerve after surgical trauma.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the pattern of sensory recovery in the lingual nerve following injury, with an emphasis on qualitative changes. METHODS: Using data from one patient with prolonged dysaesthesia after surgical trauma to the lingual nerve, we correlated changes in perceived sensory function during recovery with results from qualitative and quantitative taste tests, and patient-reported quality-of-life measures. RESULTS: Recovery of quantitative taste testing as measured by automated electrogustometry, and qualitative whole of mouth taste testing, preceded perceptual recovery of taste. On the other hand, taste acuity as measured by regional qualitative taste testing tended to lag behind perceptual recovery. The pattern of recovery in the different qualitative taste sensations suggests variation in sensitivity of the nerve fibres responsible for carrying taste sensation, with the fibres relating to bitter and sour taste being the last to recover. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, taking into account the limitations of this study, this picture of differential recovery of taste function in the lingual nerve has not been previously reported.

Electrodiagnosis↗

PubMed2002

Gustation: intersensory experience par excellence.

On the face of it, basic tactile sensation might seem the only essential sensory requirement for the delivery of foods and beverages to the digestive system. In practice, however, the appropriate delivery of raw materials for the maintenance and repair of the body requires complex sensory and cognitive processes, such that flavour sensation arguably constitutes the pre-eminent example of an integrated multicomponent perceptual experience. To raise the profile of the chemical senses amongst researchers in other perceptual domains, I review here the contribution of various sense modalities to the flavour of foods and beverages. Further, in the light of these multisensory inputs, the physiological and psychophysical research summarised in this paper invites optimism that novel ways will be found to intervene when nutritional status is compromised either by specific dietary restraints, or by taste and smell disorders.

Beverages↗