The long-term objective of this research is to develop an animal model for the study of age-related decrements in the sense of taste. There currently exists a paucity of research on changes in taste as a function of aging in all sub-human species, and, indeed, there is little known about such changes in humans.
The specific aim of this project will be to study age-related changes in the sweet taste in the Fischer 344 rat. Since it has been shown that aged humans exhibit significant decrements in sweet sensitivity, the tastants to be used in this project will be sucrose, saccharin and glucose + saccharin mixtures. The Fischer 344 rat was chosen because of the extensive literature on all aspects of aging, particularly pathology, which is available for this strain. Both cross sectional and longitudinal studies will be conducted using rats from 150 to 900 days of age. Taste perception in the rat will be measured in two ways: 1. Detailed records of licking and drinking bouts together with day-night fluid and food consumption will be made on a 24-hr basis using a computer-monitored living cage. 2. Short-term drinking tests will be conducted with rats which have been implanted with a gastric cannula. This will allow for sham feeding tests where only oropharyngeal factors will operate since no postingestinal feedback is possible. These sham feeding rats can be used as their own controls in subsequent short-term drinking tests where the screw which closed the cannula is left in place. The age-related changes observed in the rat model will contribute to the understanding of the known decreases in taste sensitivity in the elderly human. These age-related taste changes undoubtedly contribute to the frequent loss of palatability and subsequent nutritional deficits in the older person.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Aging (NIA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AG004932-03
Application #
3115462
Study Section
Communication Sciences and Disorders (CMS)
Project Start
1984-12-01
Project End
1988-03-31
Budget Start
1986-12-01
Budget End
1988-03-31
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Florida State University
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
020520466
City
Tallahassee
State
FL
Country
United States
Zip Code
32306
Smith, James C; Sclafani, Anthony (2002) Saccharin as a sugar surrogate revisited. Appetite 38:155-60
Thaw, A K (1996) Changes in taste threshold over the life span of the Sprague-Dawley rat. Chem Senses 21:189-93
Glendinning, J I; Smith, J C (1994) Consistency of meal patterns in laboratory rats. Physiol Behav 56:7-16
O'Keefe, G B; Schumm, J; Smith, J C (1994) Loss of sensitivity to low concentrations of NaCl following bilateral chorda tympani nerve sections in rats. Chem Senses 19:169-84
Rhinehart-Doty, J A; Schumm, J; Smith, J C et al. (1994) A non-taste cue of sucrose in short-term taste tests in rats. Chem Senses 19:425-31
Rowland, N E; Nicholson, T M; Smith, J C (1993) Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibition and Na appetite: microbehavioral analysis and nycthemeral physiology. Am J Physiol 265:R7-13
Smith, J C; Davis, J D; O'Keefe, G B (1992) Lack of an order effect in brief contact taste tests with closely spaced test trials. Physiol Behav 52:1107-11
Gannon, K S; Smith, J C; Henderson, R et al. (1992) A system for studying the microstructure of ingestive behavior in mice. Physiol Behav 51:515-21
Stricker, E M; Gannon, K S; Smith, J C (1992) Salt appetite induced by DOCA treatment or adrenalectomy in rats: analysis of ingestive behavior. Physiol Behav 52:793-802
Stricker, E M; Gannon, K S; Smith, J C (1992) Thirst and salt appetite induced by hypovolemia in rats: analysis of drinking behavior. Physiol Behav 51:27-37

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