Bitter taste threshold and its relation to number of circumvallate papillae in the elderly

The main purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between th e number of circumvallate papillae and the bitter taste threshold with age. The study group consisted of 10 women (age range, 60-80) and 14 men (age r ange, 60-85) and the control group of 15 young women (age range, 18-25) and 15 young men (age range, 17-20); the total number of subjects was 54. The number of circumvallate papillae was counted by direct observation with the naked eye; bitter taste thresholds were evaluated by the three drop forced -choice method with an ascending series, using quinine sulfate dehydrate as the bitter agent. We observed that while the number of circumvallate papil lae did not increase with age, the bitter taste threshold changed significa ntly with age.