Taste and smell perception in the elderly: Effect of medications and disease

Abstract

This chapter describes the changes in the senses of taste and smell that occur with advancing age. The incidence of taste and smell disorders will increase significantly over the coming decades due to the rapid growth in the elderly segment of the population. Furthermore, elderly individuals will likely experience taste and smell losses for a greater proportion of their lives due to the increase in life expectancy. Taste and smell disorders in the elderly present a public health challenge because they can increase the risk of malnutrition and food poisoning. Furthermore, taste and smell impairments reduce the quality of life. Deficits in taste or smell perception are a consequence of normal aging, certain disease states (especially Alzheimer's disease), medications, surgical interventions, and/or environmental exposure. Impaired taste and smell perception in the elderly can lead to poor appetite, inappropriate food choices, lower nutrient intake, and impaired nutritional status and immunity. Methods for compensating for taste and smell losses with flavor-enhanced foods is also described to improve appetite, food palatability and/or intake, increase salivary flow and immunity, and reduce oral complaints in both sick and healthy elderly.