No abstract

We investigated the taste synergy between L-theanine and the flavour enhancer, inosine 5 0 -monophosphate (IMP), by using a human sensory evaluation. When L-theanine was added to IMP, only the umami taste was enhanced. We then investigated this synergistic effect of L-theanine in mice by gustatory nerve recording. We confirmed the synergism between L-theanine and IMP for the umami taste.

In order to determine the influence of prolonged exercise on sensitivity to sweet taste, we investigated the relationship between physical fatigue and palatability and/or taste intensity by performing sensory evaluation tests. The subjects hiked up a 36-km mountain trail for 12 h, and we used 100-and 300-mM sucrose solutions as test samples. The taste intensity and palatability of the sucrose solutions did not change significantly during exercise. However, a slight change in palatability was observed. In particular, the palatability of the 300-mM solution increased with an increase in the degree of physical fatigue towards the end of the exercise.

Many athletes experience a change in taste sensitivity due to physical fatigue. Nutrition is an important factor during training and recovery. Previous reports have described the ideal alimentation for athletes, however, the alimentation appropriate for physical fatigue has not been investigated. As a part of gustation research aimed at formulating an ideal alimentation for fatigue, we investigated the relationship between fatigue and taste sensitivity to sweet substances. Athletes were asked to perform a half marathon to induce physical fatigue. We used a triangle test to determine the detection threshold for sucrose solutions before and after running. The results revealed that the threshold decreased after the half marathon. Thus, we confirmed that taste sensitivity to sweetness increased as a consequence of physical fatigue. To avoid either a lack or excess in nutrient intake during post-exercise physical fatigue, an alimentation regime that takes into consideration this change in taste sense is necessary.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) followed by optic neuritis (ON) has been reported as a distinct phenotype associated with anti-myelin oligodendrocyte protein (MOG) antibody. We herein report the case of a 37-year-old woman who was diagnosed with ADEM at 4 years old of age and who subsequently developed ON followed by recurrent ADEM 33 years after the initial onset. A serum analysis showed anti-MOG antibody positivity. This phenotype has only previously been reported in pediatric cases. Neurologists thus need to be aware that the phenotype may occur in adult patients, in whom it may be assumed to be atypical multiple sclerosis.