Analysis of factors that cause age-related changes in taste sensitivity

2022 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19H02905
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 38050:Food sciences-related
• Research Institution: Kyoto Women's University (2020-2022); The University of Tokyo (2019)
• Principal Investigator: Narukawa Masataka 京都女子大学, 家政学部, 准教授 (50432349)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2023-03-31
• Keywords: 老化 / 味覚 / 抗老化食品 / アルツハイマー病モデルマウス / 老化促進マウス

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Some research has suggested that cognitive or memory functions decline with aging, and a decline in function affects taste function. This study aimed to elucidate the cause of changes in taste sensitivity with aging and investigated the relationship between cognitive or memory functions and taste sensitivity. In the Alzheimer’s disease mice model, taste sensitivities were not significantly different from those of wild-type mice. Furthermore, by comparing changes in taste and cognitive function over time using senescence-accelerated mice, it was found that the change in taste sensitivity manifested earlier than the decline in cognitive function. These results suggest that deterioration of cognitive or memory functions cannot cause aging-related changes in taste sensitivity.

Free Research Field

食品科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

加齢による生理機能の変化は，長年にわたる生活習慣や生活環境などが複雑に絡み合い，その実態把握を難しくしている。味覚もその例外ではなく，加齢により影響を受ける。味覚は食行動に強い影響を及ぼすことから，加齢による味感受性低下の要因を明らかにすることは，高齢者の健康を維持する上で重要になる。今後もこれら取り組みを進め，加齢による味感受性変化のメカニズムを解明すると共に，その成果を活かして，味感受性変化の予防法の開発に繋げたい。