Oral Perceptions of Fat and Taste Stimuli Are Modulated by Affect and Mood Induction

Abstract

This study examined the impact of three clinical psychological variables (non-pathological levels of depression and anxiety, as well as experimentally manipulated mood) on fat and taste perception in healthy subjects. After a baseline orosensory evaluation, ‘sad’, ‘happy’ and ‘neutral’ video clips were presented to induce corresponding moods in eighty participants. Following mood manipulation, subjects rated five different oral stimuli, appearing sweet, umami, sour, bitter, fatty, which were delivered at five different concentrations each. Depression levels were assessed with Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) and anxiety levels were assessed via the Spielberger’s STAI-trait and state questionnaire. Overall, subjects were able to track the concentrations of the stimuli correctly, yet depression level affected taste ratings. First, depression scores were positively correlated with sucrose ratings. Second, subjects with depression scores above the sample median rated sucrose and quinine as more intense after mood induction (positive, negative and neutral). Third and most important, the group with enhanced depression scores did not rate low and high fat stimuli differently after positive or negative mood induction, whereas, during baseline or during the non-emotional neutral condition they rated the fat intensity as increasing with concentration. Consistent with others’ prior observations we also found that sweet and bitter stimuli at baseline were rated as more intense by participants with higher anxiety scores and that after positive and negative mood induction, citric acid was rated as stronger tasting compared to baseline. The observation that subjects with mild subclinical depression rated low and high fat stimuli similarly when in positive or negative mood is novel and likely has potential implications for unhealthy eating patterns. This deficit may foster unconscious eating of fatty foods in sub-clinical mildly depressed populations.

The effect of emotional state on taste perception

“…This is in line with previous research suggesting that basic tastes can be influenced by changes in affect and stress (Ileri-Gurel et al, 2012;Platte et al, 2013). Significantly, our study revealed that affective manipulations impact the taste system in an observational field study, demonstrating its applicability in a real-world setting, as opposed to previous work within a laboratory setting.…”

“…In agreement of our findings, Heath et al (2006) demonstrated that elevated levels of serotonin (attributed to feelings of wellbeing and happiness) are associated with enhanced sweet acuity, while elevated levels of the stress hormone noradrenaline result in increased sour perception. Furthermore, previous studies have showed that mild stressors or negative affect correspond with lower intensity ratings of sweet stimuli (Al'absi et al, 2012;Dess & Edelheit, 1998) and that mood manipulations are associated with a variation in the perceived intensity of sourness (Platte et al, 2013). Importantly, the results of our study expand upon the conclusions of the aforementioned studies, indicating sour and sweet intensity perception are two dimensional: in addition to the effects seen with negative affect, there is a contrary relationship with positive affect.…”

“…Several groups have demonstrated some modulation of human taste perception by stressful or emotional manipulations within a laboratory setting. Following both positive and negative mood induction, suprathreshold sour solutions are reported as more intense when compared to testing in neutral temperament (Platte, Herbert, Pauli, Breslin, & Behrens, 2013). The manipulation of emotion using common antidepressants that target the serotonergic and adrenergic systems also influences thresholds for sweet, bitter and sour (Heath, Melichar, Nutt, & Donaldson, 2006), as serotonergic receptors are important in taste transduction (Huang, Dando, & Roper, 2009).…”

Effects of Anxiety on Caloric Intake and Satiety-Related Brain Activation in Women and Men

“…Using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), we determined state (current anxiety induced by a situation) and trait (global and enduring) anxiety scores of all participants. Trait anxiety has been shown to affect eating behavior in both lean and obese subjects as well as influence ratings of sweet and bitter flavors, but other studies indicate that state anxiety predicts increased food intake (7, 8, 20, 21). We therefore studied each component of anxiety separately, stratifying our analyses by sex.…”

Relationship between the Influence of Others’ Opinions on Taste during Co-Eating and the Empathy of Individuals

“…Various factors influencing taste have been reported such as olfaction, hearing, tactility, aging, and stress [27] [29], although visual factors have been reported as having the strongest effect on the taste of food and meals [30] [31]. Petra Platte and colleagues report that after seeing negative or positive images, the intensity of sweetness and acidity changes [32]. It is assumed that the change of the threshold value was not detected because the content of the remarks, not the visual stimulus, was changed and the measurement of taste comprised the electric taste threshold instead of the five basic tastes.…”