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Updated: Dec 10, 2025

Psychophysical Tracking Method to Measure Taste Preferences in Children and Adults
Published on: July 16, 2016
Hedonicity in functional motor disorders: a chemosensory study assessing taste
Maria Paola Cecchini1, Stefano Tamburin2, Alice Zanini3
1Department of Neurosciences, Biomedicine and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, Strada le Grazie 8, 37134, Verona, Italy. mariapaola.cecchini@univr.it.
Abstract:
The aim of this study was to explore hedonicity to basic tastes in patients with functional motor disorders (FMDs) that are often associated with impairment in emotional processing. We recruited 20 FMD patients and 24 healthy subjects, matched for age and sex. Subjects were asked to rate the hedonic sensation (i.e., pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant) on a - 10 to +10 scale to the four basic tastes (sweet, sour, salty, and bitter) at different concentrations, and neutral stimuli (i.e., no taste stimulation) by means of the Taste Strips Test. Anxiety, depression, and alexithymia were assessed. FMD patients rated the highest concentration of sweet taste (6.7 ± 2.6) as significantly more pleasant than controls (4.7 ± 2.5, p = 0.03), and the neutral stimuli significantly more unpleasant (patients: - 0.7 ± 0.4, controls: 0.1 ± 0.4, p = 0.013). Hedonic ratings were not correlated to anxiety, depression, or alexithymia scores. Hedonic response to taste is altered in FMD patients. This preliminary finding might result from abnormal interaction between sensory processing and emotional valence.
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