title: Understanding the role of personality and alexithymia in food preferences and PROP taste perception.
abstract: Taste perception and food preferences are influenced by a variety of factors, including personality characteristics. The aims of this study were to examine the role of personality characteristics, such as alexithymia (a personality construct characterized by inability to identify, describe, and work with one's own feelings), in: 1) taste responses to the bitter genetic taste-marker PROP and 2) food liking. We studied 649 healthy subjects residing in six genetically-isolated villages of Northeast Italy. Data on PROP taste responsiveness, food liking, personality characteristics and TAS2R28 genotypes were collected. Results showed that PROP non-tasters had higher alexithymia scores than PROP tasters. Moreover, the presence of alexithymia in heterozygous individuals for the rs1726886 polymorphism of the TAS2R38 gene was associated with a reduction in the perceived intensity of PROP. Finally, higher alexithymia scores were associated with liking of alcohol, sweets and fats/meats whereas lower alexithymia scores were related to liking of vegetables, condiments and strong cheeses, Measures of temperament, character, anxiety and depression were also related to food liking. Our findings suggest that: 1) alexithymia, in addition to the TAS2R38 polymorphism, may play a role in responsiveness to the aversive and bitter taste of PROP; and 2) alexithymia, in combination with other personality traits, may provide important insights for better understanding food liking.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: antonietta.robino@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Robino
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale, 1, 34125 Trieste, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale, 1, 34125 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: massimo.mezzavilla@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mezzavilla
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale, 1, 34125 Trieste, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale, 1, 34125 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: nicola.pirastu@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Nicola
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pirastu
authors.affiliation: Institute for Maternal and Child Health, IRCCS "Burlo Garofolo", Via dell'Istria 65/1, 34137 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: martina.labianca@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: La Bianca
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale, 1, 34125 Trieste, Italy; Department of Medical Sciences, University of Trieste, Piazza dell'Ospitale, 1, 34125 Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.gasparini@burlo.trieste.it.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gasparini
authors.affiliation: Sanatorio Triestino, via Rossetti 63, Trieste, Italy. Electronic address: davide.carlino@tiscali.it.
authors.forename: Davide
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Carlino
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, School of Environmental and Biological Sciences, Rutgers University, 65 Dudley Road, New Brunswick, NJ 08901, USA. Electronic address: tepper@aesop.rutgers.edu.
authors.forename: Beverly J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Tepper
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D000368:Aged; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences / Q000502:physiology*; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide / Q000235:genetics; D011441:Propylthiouracil / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled / Q000235:genetics*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology; D055697:Taste Perception / Q000235:genetics*; D055815:Young Adult; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2
chemical_list: D043562:Receptors, G-Protein-Coupled; D000098706:Taste Receptors, Type 2; D011441:Propylthiouracil
keywords: Alexithymia; Food preferences; PROP responsiveness; Personality traits