QUANTITATIVE STUDY OF TASTE-BUDS IN FUNGIFORM AND CIRCUMVALLATE PAPILLAE OF YOUNG AND AGED RATS

  • 1 January 1984
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 138  (MAR) , 323-332
Abstract
To learn whether there is an age-related decrease in number of taste buds in the tongue of old rats, taste buds were counted in fungiform and circumvallate papillae of Wistar-derived rats aged 5-7 mo. and 23-24 mo. There was no difference in number or size of taste buds in anterior and posterior tongue papillae from the 2 age groups. Both fungiform and circumvallate papillae were larger in old rats. The results complement a recent study demonstrating no difference in numbers of taste buds in human fungiform papillae from birth through old age (Arvidson, 1979). Both anatomical investigations and human taste threshold studies indicate the age-related differences in the gustatory system are not as substantial as investigators have suggested in the past.

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