User:Gandhi7/Dysgeusia

Dysgeusia

Brief Proposal

Dysgeusia is a disorder that causes a distortion of taste in any of the four gustatory perceptions, sweet, salty, bitter, or sour. It is often described as causing a metallic, bitter, or rancid taste in the mouth. In America, 1.1 million people, or 0.6 % of the population, suffer from a variety of taste disorders. Other conditions include ageusia, a complete loss of taste, and hypogeusia, a lessened sense of taste.

A wide range of factors as well as other health conditions have been shown to cause dysgeusia. Adverse reactions to drugs are a common cause that is both preventable and often reversible. This pharmacological source of the condition is often linked to specific drugs, such as lithium based medications, levamisole, chlorhexidine, and tricyclic antidepressants. Other causes include zinc deficiency, menopause, pregnancy, radiation, and nerve damage. When a patient presents the symptoms of dysguesia, but a known cause cannot be found, it is classified as idiopathic dysgeusia.

Many tests can be performed in order to diagnose dysgeusia, such as the application of chemicals to a patient's tongue in order to stimulate the receptor cells of the taste buds, saliva flow rate tests, CT scans, MRIs, and blood tests. Depending upon the cause of this condition, the treatment varies on a case-to-case basis. Common treatments include zinc, the artificial saliva xerolube, pilocarpine to promote salivary flow, topical anesthetics, antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, and nerve microsurgery. If a patient’s medication is the source of the condition, changing the medication can rid the person of this taste distortion.

In addition to exploring the relationship between dysgeusia and the nervous system, the sociological effects including depression and weight loss will be researched and discussed.

Outline

Introduction

• Statistics:

1.1 million Americans (0.6 % population) suffer from taste disorders

• Terminology:

Ageusia- complete loss of taste
Hypogeusia- lessened sense of taste
Dysgeusia- distortion of taste metallic, bitter, or rancid flavor

Background

• Anatomy and physiology of the mouth, tongue, and taste buds
• Taste- a chemical sense that involves stimulation of receptor cells in the taste buds
• Role of saliva in taste
• Neurological pathway involved in taste

Causes

• Non-drug related causes: zinc deficiency, post-menopausal women, pregnancy, radiation, nerve damage
• Drug related causes: lithium based drugs, levamisole, chlorhexidine, tricyclic antidepressants
• Idiopathic dysgeusia

Diagnosis and Symptoms

• Symptoms: metallic taste in mouth
• Medical tests: taste tests using chemicals on the tongue, saliva flow rate, CT scan, MRI, blood tests

Possible Treatments and Prevention

• Treatments: zinc, xerolube (artificial saliva), pilocarpine (promotes salivary flow), topical anesthetic, antidepressants, antiepileptic drugs, nerve microsurgery
• Prevention: good oral hygiene

Current Research and Case Studies

• Dharmarajan, T. S., P. Murakonda, and D. Unnikrishnan. “If it is not cough, it must be

dysgeusia: differing adverse effects of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in the same individual.” Journal of the American Medical Directors Association 5.2 (2004): 107-10.

• Della-Giustina, D., B. Ness, and J. Steger. “‘I can’t taste ice cream’: an unusual case of

tinnitus and dysgeusia.” Pediatric Emergency Care 20.12 (2004): 832-4.

• Friess, W., S. Habiger, J.G. Heckmann, S.M. Heckman, P. Hujoel, T. Hummel, and M.

Wichmann. “Zinc gluconate in the treatment of dysgeusia—a randomized clinical trial.” Journal of Dental Research 84.1 (2005): 35-8.

Sources

• Bartoshuk, Linda, and Gary K. Beauchamp. Tasting and Smelling. 2nd ed.

New York: Academic Press, 1997.

• Brown, Robert H. and Allan H. Ropper. Adam’s and Victor’s Principles of Neurology.

8th ed. New York: The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc, 2005.

• Feske, Smauel K. and Martin A. Samuels. Office Practice of Neurology. 2nd ed.

Philadelphia: Elsevier Science, 2003.

Division of Workload

Background information: Everyone
Causes: Katherine
Diagnosis and Symptoms: Rikesh
Treatment and Prevention: Katie
Current Research and Case Studies: Everyone