Taste threshold, anatomical form of fungiform papillae and aging in humans.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in taste sensitivity during aging using four standard taste solutions. The subjects consisted of 50 normal volunteers who were divided into two groups. The younger age group was composed of 27 individuals between the ages of 20 and 30 years. The older group consisted of 23 individuals between the ages of 50 and 77 years. In order to evaluate the anatomic form of the fungiform papillae, close-up photographs (×3)were taken on the right side of the tongue in all subjects. Then, each subject's taste threshold was measured by placing the four taste solutions on the following structures : fungiform papillae, circumvallate papillae and soft palate. The anatomical forms of the fungiform papillae were significantly different upon comparison of the two groups (p <0.05), and the taste sensitivity of fungiform and circumvallate papillae also showed significant differences (p <0.05).