Evaluation of the sensitivity to sweet and salty tastes in individuals with impaired sleep quality

Abstract

The perception of taste depends on the detection threshold, which is the minimum stimulus capable of producing a sensation of taste (MEILGAARD et al., 1999, apud PIOVESANA, 2012). This threshold may be influenced by some factors such as high blood pressure, increase in body weight, food and sleep quality. In hypertensive patients, for example, there is an activation of the renin-angiotensin system, inducing the reabsorption of sodium and water by the body. In this situation, due to the heightened activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, the angiotensin peptide may still act in certain regions of the central nervous system, by stimulating sodium intake (JOURNAL OF THE BRAZILIAN SOCIETY OF HYPERTENSION, 2004). Lee et al. (2014) observed a positive association between higher levels of blood pressure and salt intake, in the elderly. In obese persons, due to a state of hyperleptinemia, there is the activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which may lead to higher sodium retention, increasing blood pressure and, as a result, the intake of sodium chloride (LOPES, 2006).Studies show that sleep disorders are associated with increase in body mass index (LAUDERDALE et al., 2009) and weight gain (PATEL, 2007). In addition, changes in sleep pattern can induce metabolic disorders resulting from weight gain, such as elevation in plasmatic leptin (REYNOIDS et al., 2012, apud PAN, 2014), type 2 diabetes (Cappuccio et al., 2010) and cardiovascular diseases (Cappuccio et al., 2011), suggesting, therefore, alteration of taste sensitivity. However, to date, there are no studies that have evaluated the correlation between perception of basic tastes and quality of sleep in groups of people in different situations of nutritional status. Therefore, knowing about the different complications of altered quality of sleep, which may involve changes in taste sensitivity of certain basic tastes, the aim of this study is to evaluate the sensitivity to sweet and salty tastes in adults in normal weight and obese, depending on the quality of sleep.