Sensation Of Food Research Articles

A Broken Heart Thatʼs Hard to Swallow

Introduction: Syncope is a common complaint for general practitioners though an uncommon presentation to a GI office. We present a case of deglutition syncope, a rare syndrome that is often misdiagnosed. Case Description: A 62-year-old female presented with a 3-year history of dysphagia and “passing out while eating”. Her initial symptoms consisted of a sensation of food “sticking” at the lower aspect of her esophagus, followed by brief loss of consciousness. She denied known trigger foods. Episodes occurred within the first few minutes of meals and loss of consciousness lasted for several seconds. In addition, she noted a burning epigastric pain and a 30-pound weight loss due to fear of eating. Previous upper endoscopy showed LA grade A esophagitis, with biopsies negative for celiac disease and H. pylori. She was initiated on a protein pump inhibitor which improved her reflux symptoms. Neurological evaluation had been negative for seizure and demyelinating disorders. High-resolution esophageal manometry was performed, which showed normal peristalsis and normal EGJ relaxation. A 24-hour holter monitor was then performed, which revealed both high degree atrioventricular block and sinus arrest associated with swallowing. The patient was referred for cardiology evaluation and ultimately a dual chamber pacemaker was placed. Her dysphagia and syncope completely resolved after pacemaker placement and symptoms have not recurred in nearly 1 year of follow-up. Discussion: Forty-eight percent of syncopal episodes are non-cardiogenic and 5% of these are related to deglutition syncope. Deglutition syncope is a vagally mediated response to stretch receptors in the LES that send efferent stimuli to the heart, with the end result of sympathetic withdrawal. Susceptible patients include those with a history of achalasia, esophageal diverticulum, esophageal stricture/spasm/cancer, and hiatal hernia. The temperature (specifically colder) and stickiness of foods, as well as eating habits are thought to be triggering factors, however not universal. Cessation of aggravating medications (antihypertensives, etc) is an initial approach to therapy. Surgical correction has been successful in cases such as esophageal carcinoma and stricture. Treatment with anticholinergic medications which block the vagal response can be initiated if not contraindicated. Pacemakers are a more invasive option for patients without structural heart disease. It is also thought that esophageal muscular hypertrophy may play a role, and thus myotomy vs. dilatation may play a role in treatment.

Differences in the Taste-active Compounds between Hanwoo Longissimus and Semitendinosus Muscles and Its Comparision with Angus Longissimus Beef Muscle

Taste-active compounds (e.g., amino acids and nucleotides) play an important role in contribution to the gustatoty sensation of food. The current study aimed to examine the differences in taste-active compounds between different beef muscles, breeds and aging periods. We have chosen the longissimus dorsi and semitendinosus muscles of Hanwoo breed and longissimus dorsi muscle of Angus breed for the investigation of the aforementioned compounds. Hanwoo muscles were aged for 7 or 28 d, and Angus samples were aged for 28 d at <TEX>$4^{\circ}C$</TEX>. Results revealed that 8 out of the 18 detected free amino acids (FAA) showed significant (p<0.05) differences between the two Hanwoo muscles. Twelve FAAs showed aging effect (p<0.05) in which the amounts of 8 FAAs significantly increased as aging time increased. Inosine 5-monophosphate (IMP), hypoxanthine (Hx) and inosine showed significant (p<0.05) differences between the Hanwoo muscles, aging resulted in an increase in amounts of these nucleotides. Hanwoo beef had significantly (p<0.05) higher total amount of sweet amino acids than the Angus ones in that 15 amino acids showed differences (p<0.05) between the two breeds. Amounts of guanosine 5-monophosphate (GMP) and Hx were significantly higher (p<0.05) for Angus beef. Current study indicated that muscle type, breed and aging period had large variations in free amino acid and nucleotide contents, which may subsequently affect the taste attributes of cooked beef.

Oral movements and the perception of semi-solid foods

Here we review the role of oral movements in the perception of food attributes, particularly for semi-solid and liquid foods ingested almost in ready-to-swallow form. An overview of a series of instrumental and sensory studies suggests clear links between the type of sensation and the time point of processing in the mouth. Some commonly-reported sensations, such as thickness, are relatively immediate and reflect the bulk properties of food bolus when the food is relatively intact. Others, such as fattiness and melting, reflect both bulk and surface properties and follow considerable oral processing when the food is relatively degraded. Yet others, such as fatty after-feel, are only fully developed after swallowing is complete. In addition, oral processing also plays an important role in the generation of aroma and taste sensations. Most of these in prior vivo studies have now been confirmed by in vitro work using a modified rheometer, dubbed the Structure Breakdown Cell (SBC), wherein the mechanical and enzymatic break-down of food can be monitored directly and related to sensory profiles generated by trained panelists.

The Assessment of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults

The Assessment of Oropharyngeal Dysphagia in Adults

Circumferential Inlet Patch with an Esophageal Ring

Purpose: Case Presentation: A 70 year old man presented with sudden onset of dysphagia and a sensation of food being caught in his throat while swallowing chunks of chicken soup. Upper endoscopy due to concern for food impaction was emergently performed. Food matter was encountered below the upper esophageal sphincter. With gentle pressure the food bolus was pushed down the esophagus and into the stomach. A firm, 4 cm concentric area of metaplasia was noted in upper the esophagus, consistent with heterotopic gastric mucosa (inlet patch). A follow up endoscopy for biopsy was performed. The inlet patch was again noted and confirmed on biopsy; an esophageal ring was noted below the heterotopic mucosa (See Figure). The ring was dilated with a 48 french American dilator. In follow up the patient's symptoms have resolved.FigureDiscussion: Generally located immediately below the upper esophageal sphincter, an inlet patch refers to the appearance of a distinctive velvety red island of heterotopic gastric mucosa amid normal esophageal squamous mucosa. Complications of inlet patches include: strictures, tracheoesophageal fistulas, adenocarcinoma, webs, and ulcers. The complications likely relate to the ability of the heterotopic mucosa to secrete acid. While there are case reports of patients presenting with dysphagia due to strictures or webs, inlet patch associated rings are relatively uncommon. Review of the medical literature has not revealed similar presentations of food impaction due to an upper esophageal ring associated with an inlet patch. This case demonstrated the distinct endoscopic appearance of the circumferential inlet patch as well as the associated ring. Dilation of the ring improved the patient's symptoms. This condition may be under recognized endoscopically due to its location in the proximal esophagus which may not always be adequately examined. Patients presenting with dysphagia warrant a thorough evaluation of the proximal esophagus as inlet patch associated rings or other similar pathology may be present.

Achados fonoaudiológicos na deglutição de idosos do município de Irati - Paraná

Resumo As mudanças que ocorrem no organismo do idoso saudável podem prejudicar o funcionamento da deglutição. A presbifagia, modificação na condução do bolo alimentar nos indivíduos saudáveis que se encontram na fase do envelhecimento, é o foco deste estudo. O objetivo deste trabalho é caracterizar os achados fonoaudiológicos na deglutição orofaríngea em idosos com presença ou ausência de queixa de deglutição, do município de Irati-PR. A deglutição de 17 idosos foi avaliada. Os resultados mostram que nove sujeitos apresentaram mais de uma queixa. Cinco sujeitos disseram ter a sensação de alimento parado após deglutição; outros cinco afirmaram terem engasgos ou tosse durante a alimentação; quatro sujeitos sentem dificuldade para deglutir consistência sólida; três queixaram-se de "boca seca" (xerostomia) e um sente dor ao deglutir. A avaliação fonoaudiológica mostrou hipotonia da musculatura orofacial em 11 idosos; dez faziam uso de prótese superior e três usavam a prótese oral inferior; sete sujeitos apresentaram diminuído o limiar de excitabilidade do reflexo da deglutição; um sujeito apresentou ausculta cervical ruidosa. Observou-se manobra de deglutição múltipla na maioria dos sujeitos, o que pode ser uma tentativa de minimizar os déficits.

Caenorhabditis elegans as an emerging model for studying the basic biology of obesity.

The health problem of obesity and its related disorders highlights the need for understanding the components and pathways that regulate lipid metabolism. Because energy balance is maintained by a complex regulatory network, the use of a powerful genetic model like C. elegans can complement studies on mammalian physiology by offering new opportunities to identify genes and dissect complicated regulatory circuits. Many of the components that are central to governing human metabolism are conserved in the worm. Although the study of lipid metabolism in C. elegans is still relatively young, much progress has already been made in tracing out genetic pathways that regulate fat storage and in developing assays to explore different aspects of metabolic regulation and food sensation. This model system holds great promise for helping tease apart the complicated network of genes that maintain a proper energy balance.

Tasty non-words and neighbours: The cognitive roots of lexical-gustatory synaesthesia

For lexical-gustatory synaesthetes, words trigger automatic, associated food sensations (e.g., for JB, the word slope tastes of over-ripe melon). Our study tests two claims about this unusual condition: that synaesthetic tastes are associated with abstract levels of word representation (concepts/lemmas), and that the first tastes to crystallise in early development are those triggered by food-names (e.g., apple tastes of apple; Simner & Ward, 2006). This concept/lemma-based proposal is difficult to immediately reconcile with the finding that non-words may also generate tastes ( Ward, Simner, & Auyeung, 2005), since non-words have no concept/lemma representations. We manipulated the characteristics of non-words to provide three types of evidence that non-word tastes in fact stem from real word neighbours: Non-words with neighbours (e.g., keach) are more likely to generate tastes than those with no neighbours (e.g., vilps); pseudo-homophone non-words that are orthographically close to real words (e.g., peeple) are more likely to generate tastes than those that are more distant ( baybee); and finally, the tastes of non-words are less consistent, and less intense, than those of real words. Additionally, we test the hypothesis that synaesthetic tastes develop initially from food-names by showing that non-words are more intensely flavoured if they are homophonic with food-names (e.g., toffie) versus non-foods (e.g., peeple). From this we conclude that synaesthetic tastes develop from food-names, and that tasty non-words do not challenge a concept/lemma-based account of lexical-gustatory synaesthesia.

Sensory Regulation of C. elegans Male Mate-Searching Behavior

How do animals integrate internal drives and external environmental cues to coordinate behaviors? We address this question by studying mate-searching behavior in C. elegans. C. elegans males explore their environment in search of mates (hermaphrodites) and will leave food if mating partners are absent. However, when mates and food coincide, male exploratory behavior is suppressed and males are retained on the food source. We show that the drive to explore is stimulated by male-specific neurons in the tail, the ray neurons. Periodic contact with the hermaphrodite detected through ray neurons changes the male's behavior during periods of no contact and prevents the male from leaving the food source. The hermaphrodite signal is conveyed by male-specific interneurons that are postsynaptic to the rays and that send processes to the major integrative center in the head. This study identifies key parts of the neural circuit that regulates a sexual appetitive behavior in C. elegans.

A Gut Feeling for Obesity: 7TM Sensors on Enteroendocrine Cells

Enteroendocrine cells, which secrete peptide hormones in response to sensation of food and gut microbiota products, can now be genetically tagged, isolated, cultured, and characterized for expression of the elusive chemosensors, as shown in publications in PNAS (Samuel et al., 2008) and in this issue (Reimann et al., 2008).

虚弱高齢者における口唇閉鎖力と日常生活機能ならびに認知機能との関連性

Few studies have reported the influence of declining labial closure force on ADL among frail elderly persons. We therefore investigated to elucidate the relationships among labial closure force, ADL and cognitive function in frail elderly persons. The subjects were 92 frail elderly persons. Labial closure forces were examined using "Lip De Cum". The ADL and cognitive status of the subjects were evaluated using the ADL20 scale and HDS-R respectively. Furthermore, the symptoms related to dysphagia and salivation were evaluated by a patient-reported outcome. The labial closure force was significantly related to total score and each sub-score of the ADL20 scale, and it was also related to HDS-R score. Furthermore, the labial closure force was significantly associated with salivation and 5 symptoms related to dysphagia as follows: weight loss, episodes of pyrexia, difficulties in swallowing, food falling from the mouth, sensation of food being stuck in the esophagus. Labial closure force among frail elderly persons correlated with ADL and cognitive function. These findings suggest that declining labial closure force is closely related with decreasing comprehensive physical and mental activities.

A 45-Year-Old Man With Severe Dysphagia and Pulmonary Infiltrates

(CHEST 2007; 131:1256–1259) A 35-year-old African-American man presented with cough and mild dyspnea on exertion over 3 to 4 years. His sister was known to have sarcoidosis. Physical examination revealed a slight man with mild clubbing. The chest radiograph (Fig 1) and chest CT scan (Fig 2) both demonstrated bilateral diffuse nodular interstitial and alveolar infiltrates, mediastinal and hilar lymphadenopathy, and upper-lobe fibrobullous changes consistent with sarcoidosis. A presumptive diagnosis of sarcoidosis was made; additional evaluation revealed cutaneous anergy, serum angiotensin-converting enzyme level of 108 IU (normal, 8 to 52 IU), chronic uveitis, and marked restriction on pulmonary function testing. No treatment was undertaken at this time. At age 45 years, the patient presented with worsening dysphagia over 1 year, which precluded oral intake. He noted a sensation of food getting stuck in his upper chest and occasional regurgitation, associ

Obesity and the regulation of fat metabolism

As in all living organisms, survival in C. elegans requires adequate management of energy supplies. Genetic screens have revealed that C. elegans fat regulation involves a complex network of genes with known or likely functions in food sensation, neuroendocrine signaling, uptake, transport, storage and utilization of fats. Core fat and sugar metabolic pathways are conserved in C. elegans. Flux through these pathways is modulated by cellular energy sensors that operate via transcriptional and translational regulatory mechanisms. In turn, neuroendocrine mechanisms couple sensory and metabolic pathways while neuromodulatory pathways influence both metabolic and food seeking/consumption pathways. The shared ancestry of C. elegans and mammalian fat regulatory pathways extends to developmental programs that underlie fat storage capacity, despite lack of dedicated adipocytes, and genes whose human homologs are implicated in obesity. This suggests that many of the newly identified C. elegans fat regulatory pathways play similar roles in mammals. C. elegans is ideally suited for the integrated study of mechanisms that operate in multiple tissues and elicit feedback responses that affect processes as diverse as metabolism and behavior.

Instrumental and sensory quantification of oral coatings retained after swallowing semi-solid foods

After a mouthful of food has been swallowed, some food material is always retained in the mouth. With semi-solid foods this is in the form of a coating that adheres to the oral mucosa. The amount and location of this material may play an important role in food sensations. In this study two quantitative methods of describing the coatings, generated by a set of 16 model custards varying in degree of lubrication (fat content) and degree of viscosity (starch concentration) are investigated. In the first method, a trained quantitative descriptive analysis panel (N=8) was instructed to take single mouthfuls of semi-solid foods, swallow and then rinse twice for 5s with water and spit out. The turbidity of the rinse water was then measured. During the same session, sensory assessments of the products were obtained. In the second method the thickness of the coating on the anterior and middle one-thirds of the tongue was quantified using a pair of opto-electronic reflectance sensors mounted on a probe which was placed on the tongue, one sensor measuring the anterior part of the tongue the other the posterior (middle third) of the tongue. Turbidity of the first rinse related strongly to the food's viscosity, as well as to sensory attributes associated with the food's fat content and viscosity, such as perceived thickness, creaminess and fattiness. Turbidity of subsequent rinses related primarily to fat content. These results indicate that turbidity of rinse water is a useful tool in fundamental (e.g., food texture research) as well as applied research (e.g., product development and quality assurance in food industry). Reflectance varied primarily with fat content and did not relate well to sensory attributes.

Burning to Know About GERD

Most women have occasional heartburn — an unpleasant burning feeling that starts around the stomach and rises toward the throat — at some time in their lives. Heartburn might happen after a big holiday meal or during a pregnancy. If these symptoms occur more often than every now and then, you could have a condition called gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). What Is GERD? To understand GERD, you need to know a little about how your digestive system works. The “gastro” part of the term GERD refers to your stomach, “esophageal” to the muscular tube connecting your mouth to your stomach, and “reflux” to stomach acid leaking up into the esophagus. Ordinarily, swallowed food and liquids pass down the esophagus and into the stomach, where a ring of muscle called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) closes behind them to prevent backup. If the LES does not close tightly, or opens when it is not supposed to, the contents of the stomach may leak upward into the esophagus. The stomach lining produces a coating to protect it from acid. However, the esophagus does not, so reflux can cause a burning sensation. Some women also experience an acid taste in the mouth or feel food “coming up.” These symptoms are sometimes called heartburn — misleading, since the problem has nothing to do with the heart — or acid indigestion. Although burning in the chest and a sensation of food …

Food and metabolic signalling defects in a Caenorhabditis elegans serotonin-synthesis mutant.

The functions of serotonin have been assigned through serotonin-receptor-specific drugs and mutants; however, because a constellation of receptors remains when a single receptor subtype is inhibited, the coordinate responses to modulation of serotonin levels may be missed. Here we report the analysis of behavioural and neuroendocrine defects caused by a complete lack of serotonin signalling. Analysis of the C. elegans genome sequence showed that there is a single tryptophan hydroxylase gene (tph-1)-the key enzyme for serotonin biosynthesis. Animals bearing a tph-1 deletion mutation do not synthesize serotonin but are fully viable. The tph-1 mutant shows abnormalities in behaviour and metabolism that are normally coupled with the sensation and ingestion of food: rates of feeding and egg laying are decreased; large amounts of fat are stored; reproductive lifespan is increased; and some animals arrest at the metabolically inactive dauer stage. This metabolic dysregulation is, in part, due to downregulation of transforming growth factor-beta and insulin-like neuroendocrine signals. The action of the C. elegans serotonergic system in metabolic control is similar to mammalian serotonergic input to metabolism and obesity.

Lack of effect of taste and nutrition claims on sensory and hedonic responses to a fat-free yogurt

Pleasantness and four sensory attributes of a fat-free strawberry yogurt were rated in three conditions in which different information about the sample was provided: ‘Strawberry yogurt’, ‘Fat-free strawberry yogurt’ and ‘New, tasty fat-free strawberry yogurt’. Seventy-eight subjects were tested in each information condition in a between-subjects design. The effects of information were studied in subject sub-groups based on scoring background scales on 1) Private body consciousness, 2) Food sensations, 3) Concern about food and health, and 4) Frequency of using low-fat products. Information about the sample did not affect pleasantness or sensory ratings. None of the background scales showed a significant interaction effect with information on pleasantness ratings. Sensory ratings of the sample corresponded to subjects' expected ratings of ideal yogurt, which may partly explain the lack of an information effect. Since the quality of the product was as expected, verbal information was not considered. Also, yogurt is already considered a low-fat and healthy product as such and information about its fat-content was irrelevant in this context.

Mediastinal calcification.

<h3>Dr. George B. Carter:</h3> A 43-year-old male was admitted to the Phillips House for treatment of a tumor of the esophagus. Thirteen months prior to admission he began to have difficulty swallowing, which he described as a sensation of food being delayed as it passed through the esophagus. One year before entry he had noted the onset of vague, intermittent substernal pain. It was about this time that he had the barium study of the esophagus you see here (Fig. 1 and 2). His appetite had been good, but when he was told that he had a tumor, it became poor, and he lost 5 lb. in weight. His history, physical examination, and laboratory studies were noncontributory, We have no interpretation of these films, as this examination was performed at another hospital. <h3>Dr. Joseph Hanelin:</h3> This reminds me of a patient that I thought had calcified mediastinal lymph nodes; what