Clinical bitterness masking test for phantogeusia.
It is difficult to determine the reason why a patient complains of a bitter taste when their mouth is empty. We examined a new diagnostic test using a bitterness masking substance. The bitterness masking substance, 'Benecoat BMI-60' (hereafter BMI-60), is a masking substance specific to the taste cells' bitterness receptors. After patients gargled with BMI-60 solutions, the phantom sensation of bitterness was masked in some patients, but was not masked in others. Bitter substances in saliva seemed to be masked by BMI-60, but bitterness did not seem to be masked when the locus of the phantom sensation was within the peripheral nerve and/or the brain. The bitterness masking test is useful for diagnosis of the phantom sensation of bitter taste.
Ishimaru
T
T
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, School of Medicine, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa 920-8641, Japan. ishimar@orl.m.kanazawa-u.ac.jp
Hatanaka
S
S
Miwa
T
T
Furukawa
M
M
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005421:Flavoring Agents; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D013651:Taste Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology
C400328:BMI 60; D005421:Flavoring Agents; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines