Taste Perception and Water Swallow Screen Results in Old-Old Women

doi:10.3390/geriatrics3040083

. 2018 Nov 20;3(4):83.

doi: 10.3390/geriatrics3040083.

Taste Perception and Water Swallow Screen Results in Old-Old Women

Rachel W Mulheren^{1

2

3}, Ianessa A Humbert^{4

5

6}, Anne R Cappola⁷, Linda P Fried⁸, Marlís González-Fernández⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. rachel.mulheren@case.edu.
² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. rachel.mulheren@case.edu.
³ Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. rachel.mulheren@case.edu.
⁴ Swallowing Systems Core, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32612, USA. ihumbert@ufl.edu.
⁵ Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32612, USA. ihumbert@ufl.edu.
⁶ Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32612, USA. ihumbert@ufl.edu.
⁷ Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. acappola@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
⁸ Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. lf2296@cumc.columbia.edu.
⁹ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. mgonzal5@jhmi.edu.

PMID: 31011118
PMCID: PMC6371139
DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics3040083

Taste Perception and Water Swallow Screen Results in Old-Old Women

Rachel W Mulheren et al. Geriatrics (Basel). 2018.

. 2018 Nov 20;3(4):83.

doi: 10.3390/geriatrics3040083.

Authors

Rachel W Mulheren^{1

2

3}, Ianessa A Humbert^{4

5

6}, Anne R Cappola⁷, Linda P Fried⁸, Marlís González-Fernández⁹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychological Sciences, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH 44106, USA. rachel.mulheren@case.edu.
² Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. rachel.mulheren@case.edu.
³ Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. rachel.mulheren@case.edu.
⁴ Swallowing Systems Core, Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32612, USA. ihumbert@ufl.edu.
⁵ Rehabilitation Sciences, College of Health and Health Professions, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32612, USA. ihumbert@ufl.edu.
⁶ Department of Neurology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32612, USA. ihumbert@ufl.edu.
⁷ Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. acappola@pennmedicine.upenn.edu.
⁸ Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA. lf2296@cumc.columbia.edu.
⁹ Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21287, USA. mgonzal5@jhmi.edu.

PMID: 31011118
PMCID: PMC6371139
DOI: 10.3390/geriatrics3040083

Abstract

Changes in both swallowing and taste commonly occur in advanced age, though the relationship between the two is unknown. This study examined the association between a water swallow screen test and taste identification and intensity rating. Participants included 47 community-dwelling women aged 85-94 years. Participants completed three trials of a water swallow screen and were observed for signs of aspiration, which, if present, indicated failure. Four pure taste stimuli at low and high concentrations and water were presented, and participants selected one of five taste labels and rated their intensity on the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale. Ratios of intensity ratings were computed for each taste stimulus to compare the perception of low and high concentrations. The association between water swallow screen failure, correct taste identification, and taste intensity ratio was evaluated with logistic regression modeling, with mediating factors of frailty and number of comorbidities. Failure of three water swallow screen trials was associated with a higher taste intensity ratio for caffeine (bitter) and a lower taste intensity ratio for sucrose (sweet). Correct identification of taste, frailty, and number of comorbidities were not associated with failure of any number of water swallow screen trials. Intensity ratings of certain tastes may be associated with swallowing in old-old women. Heightened vigilance in this population may be necessary to prevent complications related to dietary intake.

Keywords: aging; swallowing; taste; water swallow screen.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest. The funders had no role in the design of the study; in the collection, analyses, or interpretation of data; in the writing of the manuscript, and in the decision to publish the results.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Ratings of intensity on the generalized Labeled Magnitude Scale for each stimulus, by low (circle) and high (diamond) concentration.

**Figure 2**
Taste identification frequency (y axis) for each stimulus by low and high concentration (x axis). Each plot represents a specific taste stimulus: (a) water; (b) caffeine; (c) sodium chloride; (d) citric acid; (e) sucrose. Bars are coded by reported taste quality: neutral (n), bitter (b), salty (sa), sour (so), sweet (sw).

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. Ekberg O., Feinberg M.J. Altered swallowing function in elderly patients without dysphagia: Radiologic findings in 56 cases. Am. J. Roentgenol. 1991;156:1181–1184. doi: 10.2214/ajr.156.6.2028863. - DOI - PubMed
1. Robbins J., Hamilton J.W., Lof G.L., Kempster G.B. Oropharyngeal swallowing in normal adults of different ages. Gastroenterology. 1992;103:823–829. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(92)90013-O. - DOI - PubMed
1. Yoshikawa M., Yoshida M., Nagasaki T., Tanimoto K., Tsuga K., Akagawa Y., Komatsu T. Aspects of swallowing in healthy dentate elderly persons older than 80 years. J. Gerontol. Ser. A. 2005;60:506–509. doi: 10.1093/gerona/60.4.506. - DOI - PubMed
1. Steele C.M., Van Lieshout P. Tongue movements during water swallowing in healthy young and older adults. J. Speech Lang. Hear. Res. 2009;52:1255–1267. doi: 10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0131). - DOI - PubMed
1. Omari T.I., Kritas S., Cock C., Besanko L., Burgstad C., Thompson A., Rommel N., Heddle R., Fraser R. Swallowing dysfunction in healthy older people using pharyngeal pressure-flow analysis. Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 2014;26:59–68. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12224. - DOI - PubMed

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[1] Ekberg O., Feinberg M.J. Altered swallowing function in elderly patients without dysphagia: Radiologic findings in 56 cases. Am. J. Roentgenol. 1991;156:1181–1184. doi: 10.2214/ajr.156.6.2028863. - DOI - PubMed

[2] Ekberg O., Feinberg M.J. Altered swallowing function in elderly patients without dysphagia: Radiologic findings in 56 cases. Am. J. Roentgenol. 1991;156:1181–1184. doi: 10.2214/ajr.156.6.2028863. - DOI - PubMed

[3] Robbins J., Hamilton J.W., Lof G.L., Kempster G.B. Oropharyngeal swallowing in normal adults of different ages. Gastroenterology. 1992;103:823–829. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(92)90013-O. - DOI - PubMed

[4] Robbins J., Hamilton J.W., Lof G.L., Kempster G.B. Oropharyngeal swallowing in normal adults of different ages. Gastroenterology. 1992;103:823–829. doi: 10.1016/0016-5085(92)90013-O. - DOI - PubMed

[5] Yoshikawa M., Yoshida M., Nagasaki T., Tanimoto K., Tsuga K., Akagawa Y., Komatsu T. Aspects of swallowing in healthy dentate elderly persons older than 80 years. J. Gerontol. Ser. A. 2005;60:506–509. doi: 10.1093/gerona/60.4.506. - DOI - PubMed

[6] Yoshikawa M., Yoshida M., Nagasaki T., Tanimoto K., Tsuga K., Akagawa Y., Komatsu T. Aspects of swallowing in healthy dentate elderly persons older than 80 years. J. Gerontol. Ser. A. 2005;60:506–509. doi: 10.1093/gerona/60.4.506. - DOI - PubMed

[7] Steele C.M., Van Lieshout P. Tongue movements during water swallowing in healthy young and older adults. J. Speech Lang. Hear. Res. 2009;52:1255–1267. doi: 10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0131). - DOI - PubMed

[8] Steele C.M., Van Lieshout P. Tongue movements during water swallowing in healthy young and older adults. J. Speech Lang. Hear. Res. 2009;52:1255–1267. doi: 10.1044/1092-4388(2009/08-0131). - DOI - PubMed

[9] Omari T.I., Kritas S., Cock C., Besanko L., Burgstad C., Thompson A., Rommel N., Heddle R., Fraser R. Swallowing dysfunction in healthy older people using pharyngeal pressure-flow analysis. Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 2014;26:59–68. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12224. - DOI - PubMed

[10] Omari T.I., Kritas S., Cock C., Besanko L., Burgstad C., Thompson A., Rommel N., Heddle R., Fraser R. Swallowing dysfunction in healthy older people using pharyngeal pressure-flow analysis. Neurogastroenterol. Motil. 2014;26:59–68. doi: 10.1111/nmo.12224. - DOI - PubMed

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Taste Perception and Water Swallow Screen Results in Old-Old Women

Affiliations

Taste Perception and Water Swallow Screen Results in Old-Old Women

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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