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Chemical Senses Advance Access originally published online on May 4, 2009
Chemical Senses 2009 34(6):499-502; doi:10.1093/chemse/bjp024
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© The Author 2009. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org

Swallowing Is Differentially Influenced by Retronasal Compared with Orthonasal Stimulation in Combination with Gustatory Stimuli

Antje Welge-Lüssen1, Myriam Ebnöther1, Markus Wolfensberger1 and Thomas Hummel2

1 Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland 2 Smell and Taste Clinic, University of Dresden Medical School, Dresden, Germany

Correspondence to be sent to: Antje Welge-Lüssen, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031 Basel, Switzerland. e-mail: awelge{at}uhbs.ch


  Abstract

Identical stimuli are processed differently when presented ortho- or retronasally. In contrast to orthonasal olfaction, retronasal odorant perception is strongly associated with flavor and food intake, which is usually followed by swallowing. Along with other stimuli, gustatory stimuli are known to influence the swallowing reflex. It was therefore the aim of present study to examine whether retronasal olfaction, in combination with simultaneous gustatory stimuli, influences swallowing in a manner different from that of orthonasal olfaction. Fifty normosmic and normogeusic subjects took part in the study. A sweet taste (glucose, delivered via an intraoral taste dispenser) was presented simultaneously with vanillin, a food-like odor, either ortho- or retronasally at random using a computer-controlled olfactometer. Ultrasound imaging of the mouth floor was recorded on videotape to continuously monitor swallowing activity. After retronasal stimulation, swallowing occurred significantly faster (7.49 vs. 9.42 s; P < 0.001) and also took place more frequently compared with swallowing after orthonasal stimulation (1.38 times vs. 1.14 times; P < 0.001). These results show that a food-like odorant presented retronasally in combination with a congruent taste stimulus can influence swallowing. Whether these results can be assigned to other, unfamiliar, unpleasant nonfood-like odors has yet to be determined.

Key words: retronasal odorant perception, swallowing, taste, ultrasound

Accepted 12 April 2009


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