Perceived intensity and pleasantness of sucrose taste in male alcoholics.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of the present study was to evaluate a possible relationship between taste responses to sweet solutions and alcoholic status.


METHODS
The rated intensity and pleasantness of sucrose taste was compared in male alcoholics (n = 45) and non-alcoholic controls (n = 33).


RESULTS
The rated intensity, but not pleasantness, of water taste (0% sucrose) was higher in the alcoholics. The two groups did not differ with respect to the rated intensity or pleasantness of sucrose solutions (1-30%). The proportion of sweet-likers, i.e. subjects rating 30% sucrose as most pleasant, was similar in both groups (the controls: 57.6%, the alcoholics: 62.2%). A subgroup of alcoholics with a paternal history of alcoholism (n = 22) rated the highest sucrose concentration as more pleasant compared to alcoholics without alcoholic fathers. The proportion of sweet-likers among the alcoholics with a paternal history of alcoholism (77.3%) was significantly higher than that found in the alcoholics without a familial history of alcoholism (47.8%).


CONCLUSIONS
The present results suggest the following: (i) alcohol dependence is not associated with any major alterations in taste responses to sucrose solutions, (ii) sweet liking is a phenotypic marker of male alcoholics with a paternal history of alcoholism.
Wronski
Michal
M
Department of Psychiatry, Pomeranian Medical Academy Szczecin, Poland.
Skrok-Wolska
Dominika
D
Samochowiec
Jerzy
J
Ziolkowski
Marcin
M
Swiecicki
Lukasz
L
Bienkowski
Przemyslaw
P
Korkosz
Agnieszka
A
Zatorski
Paweł
P
Kukwa
Wojciech
W
Scinska
Anna
A
D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics / Q000523:psychology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006801:Humans; D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013395:Sucrose / Q000008:administration & dosage; D013652:Taste Threshold
D006982:Hypertonic Solutions; D013395:Sucrose