Taste testing in a pediatric case of congenital aglossia

• Main Author: Valent, Franziska G.
• Language: EN
• Published: California State University, Long Beach 2016
• Subjects: Nutrition
• Online Access: http://pqdtopen.proquest.com/#viewpdf?dispub=10195967

<p> Congenital aglossia (CA) is a very rare condition in which a person is born without a tongue. This current study sought to investigate the taste function of an 11-year-old female with CA. In this randomized, double-blinded, controlled taste test trial, the participant was asked to identify different concentration levels of sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami tastant solutions. Responses were analyzed for correct identification. Out of the five stimuli, the participant correctly identified sour at 1.6 x 10^-4 M and umami at 5.0 x 10^-3 M. Sweet, salty, and bitter stimuli did not meet the accuracy identification threshold of 66.6% at any concentration level. Statistical significant association between taste identification accuracy and actual taste [<i>X&sup2;</i>(5) = 7.674, <i>p</i> = .175], individual stimuli concentration levels (sweet <i>p</i> = .645; sour <i>p</i> = .558; salty <i>p</i> = .484; umami <i> p</i> = .061), and presentation order [<i>X&sup2;</i>(5) = 55.000, <i>p</i> = .437] could not be determined using Chi-square testing. Findings suggest an alteration in taste function in individuals with CA.</p>