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Updated: Jun 20, 2026
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New Methods to Study Gustatory Coding
Published on: June 29, 2017
Clinical assessment of human gustatory function using event related potentials
Thomas Hummel1, Alexandra Genow, Basile Nicolas Landis
1Smell and Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University of Dresden Medical School, Fetscherstrasse 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany. thummel@mail.zih.tu-dresden.de
Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery, and Psychiatry
|September 4, 2009
Summary
Gustatory event-related potentials (ERP) offer a reliable method for assessing taste function. This study demonstrates their clinical utility, showing differences based on gender, concentration, and stimulation side.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Physiology
Background:
- Gustatory event-related potentials (ERP) have shown promise but lack clinical application.
- Objective assessment of taste function is crucial for clinical diagnosis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate gustatory ERP in a clinical setting.
- To investigate gender differences, concentration dependency, and test-retest reliability of gustatory ERP.
- To assess the utility of gustatory ERP in patients with taste disorders.
Main Methods:
- 17 healthy volunteers participated in two sessions.
- Acetic acid stimuli were presented to the tongue, embedded in an airstream.
- Subjects used visual analogue scales for intensity rating; lateralized sour thresholds were determined.
Main Results:
- ERP amplitudes P1 and P2 showed distinct topographical distributions.
- Women exhibited shorter response latencies than men.
- Concentration and lateralization affected ERP amplitudes and latencies; test-retest reliability was highest for higher concentrations.
Conclusions:
- Gustatory ERP provide a reliable and objective method for assessing human taste function.
- The technique is useful in clinical settings, including diagnostic and medicolegal cases.
- Further research can explore its application in patients with taste dysfunctions.
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