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Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 4, 2026

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Assess Taste Detection Thresholds in Children, Adolescents, and Adults: The Taste Detection Threshold (TDT) Test
08:52

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Published on: April 21, 2021

Tests for screening olfactory and gustatory function in school-age children.

David G Laing1, C Segovia, T Fark

  • 1School of Women and Children's Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of NSW, Randwick, Australia. d.laing@unsw.edu.au

Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery : Official Journal of American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
|July 1, 2008
PubMed
Summary

This study found that three simple tests can effectively assess smell (olfaction) and taste (gustation) in young children. These tests provide crucial normative data for diagnosing sensory impairments in school-aged children.

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Area of Science:

  • Clinical assessment of sensory function
  • Pediatric health and development
  • Olfactory and gustatory psychophysics

Background:

  • Current clinical assessment tools for children's olfaction and gustation are lacking.
  • There is a need for standardized, reliable methods to evaluate smell and taste in pediatric populations.
  • Normative data for olfactory and gustatory function in young children are not readily available.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the suitability of three familiar odor and taste identification tests for assessing children's olfaction and gustation.
  • To establish normative data for olfactory and gustatory function in school-aged children.
  • To provide validated clinical tools for diagnosing sensory impairments in children.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study involving 232 children (aged 5-7 years) and 56 adults.
  • Utilized three tests based on the identification of familiar odors and tastes.
  • Collected response distributions to establish normative data.

Main Results:

  • Children aged 5-7 years successfully identified most of the 16 test odorants and 4 common tastes.
  • The study generated response distributions for each test, forming the basis for normative data.
  • The findings indicate that these tests are suitable for assessing olfactory and gustatory function in young children.

Conclusions:

  • Three specific tests are effective for determining olfactory and gustatory function in school-aged children.
  • The developed normative data address the current lack of clinical assessment tools and data for children.
  • This research provides essential resources for diagnosing olfactory and gustatory impairments in pediatric populations.