Dissociated taste disorder.
Dissociated taste disorder is a special symptom occurring when only one or two taste qualities of the four primary taste are disturbed. Eleven % of all cases of taste disorders complain of this symptom. The subjects of this investigation were 46 patients due to be examined. We used our filter-paper disc method invented for clinical qualitative and quantitative gustometry by taste examination. True dissociated taste disorder was confirmed in 12 patients only with respect to sweetness. No dissociated taste disorder was found for the other types of taste. Sweetness differs from the other three primary tastes in that it is brought about by a protein acting as a receptor. In patients suffering from true dissociated taste disorders, the predominant cause of the condition is zinc deficiency. When zinc is not available in adequate quantities, the synthesis of the protein at the sweet-sensitive receptor site can no longer be achieved smoothly, and this may lead to the development of the complaint.
D000368:Aged; D000603:Amino Acids, Sulfur / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012463:Saliva / Q000032:analysis; D012737:Sex Factors; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000097:blood / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D008625:Tiopronin / Q000009:adverse effects*; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood / Q000172:deficiency
D000603:Amino Acids, Sulfur; D008625:Tiopronin; D015032:Zinc