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Journal List > J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry > v.37(7); Jul 1974

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J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry. 1974 July; 37(7): 802–810.
PMCID: PMC494787
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Abnormalities of taste and smell after head trauma
Paul J. Schechter and Robert I. Henkin1
Section on Neuroendocrinology, National Heart and Lung Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20014, U.S.A.
Section on Neuroendocrinology, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20014, U.S.A.
1 Address for correspondence: Dr Robert I. Henkin, Section on Neuroendocrinology, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, National Heart and Lung Institute, Bldg 10, Room 7N262, Bethesda, Maryland 20014, U.S.A.
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Abstract
Abnormalities of taste and smell were studied in 29 patients after head trauma. These abnormalities included decreased taste acuity (hypogeusia), a distortion of taste acuity (dysgeusia), decreased smell acuity (hyposmia), and a distortion of smell acuity (dysosmia). This syndrome can occur even after minimal head trauma and can begin months after the moment of injury. The patients exhibited a significant decrease in total serum zinc concentration (patients, 77 ± 3 μg/100 ml, mean ± 1 SEM, vs controls, 99 ± 2 μg/100 ml, P>0·001) and a significant increase in total serum copper concentrations (113 ± 4 μg/100 ml vs 100 ± 2 μg/100 ml, P<0·001) compared with control subjects. Symptoms of hypogeusia, dysgeusia, and dysosmia are frequent sequelae of head injury and are important to the patients and to their care after trauma.
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Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
  • Cohen IK, Schechter PJ, Henkin RI. Hypogeusia, anorexia, and altered zinc metabolism following thermal burn. JAMA. 1973 Feb 19;223(8):914–916. [PubMed]
  • DI CHIRO G, NELSON KB. The volume of the sella turcica. Am J Roentgenol Radium Ther Nucl Med. 1962 Jun;87:989–1008. [PubMed]
  • Hambidge KM, Hambidge C, Jacobs M, Baum JD. Low levels of zinc in hair, anorexia, poor growth, and hypogeusia in children. Pediatr Res. 1972 Dec;6(12):868–874. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI. Abnormalities of taste and olfaction in patients with chromatin negative gonadal dysgenesis. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1967 Oct;27(10):1436–1440. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI. The role of taste in disease and nutrition. Bordens Rev Nutr Res. 1967 Oct–Dec;28(4):71–87. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI. Disorders of taste and smell. JAMA. 1971 Dec 27;218(13):1946–1946. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Bradley DF. Regulation of taste acuity by thiols and metal ions. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 1969 Jan;62(1):30–37. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Gill JR, Bartter FC. STUDIES ON TASTE THRESHOLDS IN NORMAL MAN AND IN PATIENTS WITH ADRENAL CORTICAL INSUFFICIENCY: THE ROLE OF ADRENAL CORTICAL STEROIDS AND OF SERUM SODIUM CONCENTRATION. J Clin Invest. 1963 May;42(5):727–735. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Hoye RC, Ketcham AS, Gould WJ. Hyposmia following laryngectomy. Lancet. 1968 Aug 31;2(7566):479–481. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Keiser HR, Jafee IA, Sternlieb I, Scheinberg IH. Decreased taste sensitivity after D-penicillamine reversed by copper administration. Lancet. 1967 Dec 16;2(7529):1268–1271. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Schechter PJ, Hoye R, Mattern CF. Idiopathic hypogeusia with dysgeusia, hyposmia, and dysosmia. A new syndrome. JAMA. 1971 Jul 26;217(4):434–440. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Smith FR. Hyposmia in acute viral hepatitis. Lancet. 1971 Apr 24;1(7704):823–826. [PubMed]
  • Henkin RI, Smith FR. Zinc and copper metabolism in acute viral hepatitis. Am J Med Sci. 1972 Nov;264(5):401–409. [PubMed]
  • Hoye RC, Ketcham AS, Henkin RI. Hyposmia after paranasal sinus exenteration of laryngectomy. Am J Surg. 1970 Oct;120(4):485–491. [PubMed]
  • Marshall JR, Henkin RI. Olfactory acuity, menstrual abnormalities, and oocyte status. Ann Intern Med. 1971 Aug;75(2):207–211. [PubMed]
  • Meret S, Henkin RI. Simultaneous direct estimation by atomic absorption spectrophotometry of copper and zinc in serum, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid. Clin Chem. 1971 May;17(5):369–373. [PubMed]
  • SUMNER D. POST-TRAUMATIC ANOSMIA. Brain. 1964 Mar;87:107–120. [PubMed]
  • Sumner D. Post-traumatic ageusia. Brain. 1967 Mar;90(1):187–202. [PubMed]
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