Basic HTML Version
(t), odor discrimination (d) and odor identification (i) by means
of the “Sniffin’ Sticks” test battery. The results of these three tests
are summed up to a composite score- the so called tdi- score.
Depression was evaluated by means of the Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI). Patients answered 11 questions for evaluation of
sexual appetite in regard to the time before the onset of olfactory
dysfunction and since the olfactory dysfunction. The points
received for the latter questions were summed up to the so called
Sexual Appetite Index (SAI). Results: Eighty-six patients filled the
questionnaires completely and unambiguously and were available
for further analyzes. Olfactory testing revealed in 38, 39 and 9
patients anosmia, hyposmia and normosmia, respectively. The BDI
score was 11.0 ± 8.4 points (average± standard deviation). The SAI
significantly (p=0.003) decreased from 22.7 ± 4.5 points from the
time before to 21.4 ± 4.9 points since the onset of olfactory loss.
The BDI score correlated negatively with the SAI since the onset
of olfactory dysfunction (r85 = -0.36; P = 0.001). Conclusion:
Depression caused by olfactory loss appears to be the main cause
for the self-reported decrease in sexual appetite since the onset of
olfactory dysfunction.
#P17
POSTER SESSION I:
MULTIMODAL RECEPTION;
CHEMOSENSATION & DISEASE;
TASTE PERIPHERY; OLFACTION PERIPHERY
Exercise is Associated with Lower Long-Term Risk of
Olfactory Impairment
Carla R. Schubert, Karen J. Cruickshanks, Mary E. Fischer,
Barbara E.K. Klein, Ronald Klein, David M. Nondahl
University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health
Madison, WI, USA
Regular exercise has been shown to reduce the risk of many
age-related conditions. In the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss Study
(EHLS), exercising at least once a week was associated with a
reduced risk of developing olfactory impairment in five years.
The purpose of the present study was to determine if exercise
remained associated with a lower risk of developing olfactory
impairment over a longer time period. Olfaction was measured
with the San Diego Odor Identification Test (SDOIT) at three
examinations (1998-2000, 2003-2005, 2009-2010) of the
EHLS. The frequency of regular exercise was obtained by
interview. At baseline there were 1881 participants age 53-97
years at risk for olfactory impairment. Preliminary analyses found
the 10-year cumulative incidence of olfactory impairment was
27.6% (95% confidence interval (CI)=25.3, 29.9) and those who
were older (Hazard Ratio (HR)=1.88, 95% CI=1.74,2.03 for every
5 years) or male (HR=1.27, 95% CI=1.00,1.61) had an increased
risk of olfactory impairment. Exercising at least once a week long
enough to work up a sweat was associated with a decreased risk of
olfactory impairment (HR= 0.76, 95% CI= 0.60, 0.97) in an age-
and sex-adjusted model. Results were similar after adjusting for
other covariates previously associated with the incidence of
olfactory impairment in this population. In addition, increasing
frequency of exercise was associated with decreasing risk of
developing olfactory impairment (p for trend = 0.03). These results
suggest that those who exercise regularly may reduce their long-
term risk for olfactory impairment. Further research is needed to
determine the pathway of this association. Acknowledgements:
Supported by R37 AG011099 (KJC) from the National Institute
on Aging and U10EY06594 (RK, BEKK) from the National
Eye Institute.
#P18
POSTER SESSION I:
MULTIMODAL RECEPTION;
CHEMOSENSATION & DISEASE;
TASTE PERIPHERY; OLFACTION PERIPHERY
Norepinephrine-responsive cells juxtaposed with the apical
tips of taste buds
Mani V. Kurian
1
, Nirupa Chaudhari
1,2
1
Dept. of Physiology & Biophysics, University of Miami Miller
School of Medicine Miami, FL, USA,
2
Program in Neurosciences,
University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Miami, FL, USA
Many neurotransmitters including GABA, serotonin, adenosine and
norepinephrine (NE) signal via intracellular cAMP. To visualize
cAMP-mediated signaling in and around taste buds, we used a
genetically-encoded cAMP reporter that is imaged by Fluorescence
Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET). We biolistically transfected
the cAMP reporter into lingual slice cultures of rat vallate and
foliate papillae. This permitted us to see changes in cAMP levels in
real-time and with cellular resolution within 24 hr. About 11% of
transfected cells (74/704) responded to NE with an elevation in
cAMP. The response to NE was concentration-dependent (EC
50
=38
μM). Isoproterenol (100 µM), a non-selective β-adrenergic receptor
agonist and formoterol (1 μM), a β
2
-adrenergic receptor agonist
also elevated cAMP levels. Xamoterol (10 μM), a selective
β
1
-adrenergic receptor agonist, failed to raise cAMP levels.
In addition, ICI 118551 (50nM), a highly selective β
2
-adrenergic
receptor antagonist, blocked the NE-induced increase in cAMP
in a reversible manner. In contrast, CGP 20712A (500nM), a highly
selective β
1
-adrenergic receptor antagonist did not inhibit the
response to NE. Thus, the NE responses are mediated via β2
receptors.
Post-hoc
immunostaining for the cAMP reporter showed
that the NE responding cells were closely juxtaposed to taste buds,
near the taste pore. We also see strong immunoreactivity to β
2
adrenergic receptor in cells adjacent to the taste pore. To identify
the source of NE that may activate these cells, we immunostained
for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), an enzyme for NE synthesis. TH
was seen in fibers projecting around taste buds and terminating
superficially in the epithelium, including near the NE-responding
cells. The role of these NE responding extra-gemmal cells remains
to be elucidated. Acknowledgements: Supported by NIH/NIDCD
R01DC6021 (NC)
#P19
POSTER SESSION I:
MULTIMODAL RECEPTION;
CHEMOSENSATION & DISEASE;
TASTE PERIPHERY; OLFACTION PERIPHERY
Dopamine-beta-hydroxylase and norepinephrine transporter
immunoreactivity in rat taste buds
Jenna A. Walton
1,2
, Ruibiao Yang
1,2
, John C. Kinnamon
1,2
1
University of Denver/Department of Biological Sciences
Denver, CO, USA,
2
Rocky Mountain Taste & Smell Center
Aurora, CO, USA
Although great progress has been made in the understanding of
norepinephrine’s role in gustatory transduction, there is still a great
deal of work that needs to be done in order to fully elucidate the
mechanism of adrenergic modulation in this system. To do so, it is
vital to localize the various proteins that make up this machinery.
The adrenergic system includes many proteins that are essential
for the transport, degradation and synthesis of adrenergic
neurotransmitters, as well as the various transmembrane proteins
that act as receptors for adrenergic modulation. The present study
has focused on localizing and characterizing the synthetic enzyme
34 | AChemS Abstracts 2012
Abstracts are printed as submitted by the author(s)
P O S T E R P R E S E N T AT I O N S