Quantitative sensory testing in elderly: longitudinal study

Does presbygeusia really exist? An updated narrative review

This review critically assessed the existence of presbygeusia, i.e., the impairment in taste perception occurring in the elderly, as a natural part of the aging process and its potential clinical implications. Several factors might contribute to age-related taste alterations (TAs), including structural changes in taste buds, alterations in saliva composition, central nervous system changes, and oral microbiota dysbiosis. A comprehensive literature review was conducted to disentangle the effects of age from those of the several age-related diseases or conditions promoting TAs. Most of the included studies reported TAs in healthy elderly people, suggesting that presbygeusia is a relatively frequent condition associated with age-related changes in the absence of pathological conditions. However, the impact of TAs on dietary preferences and food choices among the elderly seems to be less relevant when compared to other factors, such as cultural, psychological, and social influences. In conclusion, presbygeusia exists even in the absence of comorbidities or drug side effects, but its impact on dietary choices in the elderly is likely modest.

Sensory characteristics according to chronic diseases and chronic pain in adults: cross-sectional study

Aim: To investigate somatosensory, gustative and olfactory characteristics of subjects according to their chronic diseases and the presence of chronic pain complaints. Materials & methods: A total of 254 chronic pain patients and 52 healthy subjects were evaluated with a clinical and sensory systematized evaluation. Statistical analysis consisted of Fisher's exact, Student's t-tests, Pearson's co-efficient and multivariate nonlinear/logistic regressions. Results: Patients had more chronic diseases (p < 0.001) than healthy subjects. Chronic pain was associated with vibratory hypoesthesia (p = 0.047) and sour hypergeusia (p = 0.001) and several chronic diseases correlated with sensory features. Hyposmia was strongly associated with chronic pain symptoms, chronic diseases and cardiovascular disease. Conclusion: The sensory findings observed suggest the need for further investigation about the overlap between the olfactory function, pain chronification, chronic diseases and cognitive impairment in these patients.