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. 2014 Feb;57(1):46-56.
doi: 10.1044/1092-4388(2013/13-0005).

Influence of the perceived taste intensity of chemesthetic stimuli on swallowing parameters given age and genetic taste differences in healthy adult women

Cathy A Pelletier, Catriona M Steele

Influence of the perceived taste intensity of chemesthetic stimuli on swallowing parameters given age and genetic taste differences in healthy adult women

Cathy A Pelletier et al. J Speech Lang Hear Res. 2014 Feb.

Abstract

Purpose: This study examined whether the perceived taste intensity of liquids with chemesthetic properties influenced lingua-palatal pressures and submental surface electromyography (sEMG) in swallowing, compared with water.

Method: Swallowing was studied in 80 healthy women, stratified by age group and genetic taste status. General Labeled Magnitude Scale ratings of taste intensity were collected for deionized water; carbonated water; 2.7% w/v citric acid; and diluted ethanol. These stimuli were swallowed, with measurement of tongue-palate pressures and submental sEMG. Path analysis differentiated stimulus, genetic taste status, age, and perceived taste intensity effects on swallowing. Signal amplitude during effortful saliva swallowing served as a covariate representing participant strength.

Results: Significant differences (p < .05) in taste intensity were seen across liquids: citric acid > ethanol > carbonated water > water. Supertasters perceived greater taste intensity than did nontasters. Lingua-palatal pressure and sEMG amplitudes were correlated with the strength covariate. Anterior palate pressures and sEMG amplitudes were significantly higher for the citric acid stimulus. Perceived taste intensity was a significant mediator of stimulus differences.

Conclusion: These data provide confirmatory evidence that high-intensity sour stimuli do influence swallowing behaviors. In addition, taste genetics influence the perception of taste intensity for stimuli with chemesthetic properties, which modulates behavioral responses.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
General Labeled Magnitude Scale (Bartoshuk et al.).
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between bolus swallowing signal amplitudes and strength, as indexed by effortful saliva swallow signal amplitudes.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Path analysis used in this study to explore the influence of differences in perceived taste intensity for four liquids on swallowing behaviors.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Results of the Path A analysis, showing differences in perceived taste intensity for four liquids as a function of age-group and genetic taste status.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Results of the Path Bi analysis, showing the influence of perceived differences in taste intensity for four liquids on the amplitude of anterior tongue-palate pressures.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Results of the Path Biii analysis, showing the influence of perceived differences in taste intensity for four liquids on the amplitude of submental sEMG in nontaster and supertaster subgroups.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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