• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.295-303
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• 2008

The lingual branch of the trigeminal nerve transmitts general sensation from anterior two thirds of the tongue, also bearing within sheath fibers of chordal tympani branch of the facial nerve. Chorda tympani nerve carries special taste sensations from the anterior two thirds of the tongue and sub-serves the existing trigeminal pathway. Chorda tympani nerve and the lingual nerve innervate to fungiform papilla and distribution of fungiform papilla on tongue dorsum is variable according to anatomical location. The purpose of this report is to assess that the relationship of the number of fungiform papilla and the ability of two-point discrimination of tongu dorsum. Twenty-six healthy students(male:female=13:13) whose mean age was $30{\pm}3$ participated in our study. Two-point discrimination thresholds were measured to evaluate the spatial acuity of touch sensation. The measurement was carried out at the tip and posterolateral region of dorsal tongue. After two-point discrimination test, we took the pictures of their dorsal tongue dyed with methylene blue with digital camera. There were no significant differences between the number of fungiform papilla and the two-point discrimination threshold. But, we found that there were the intraregional and intersubject variations of spatial acuity of the tongue. During the test on the posterolateral region of the dorsal tongue, students appealed the difficulty of discrimination of one point and two point.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2011

The aims of this study were to establish the effect of gender and age on number of fungiform papillae and electrogustometric thresholds of the tongue, and to determine the relation between number of fungiform papillae and electrogustometric threshold. Sixty-two healthy subjects of 20 to 39 years old were enrolled in this study. Examination areas were defined as center, anterior, left lateral, right lateral, and posterior on the dorsal surface of the tongue, which was stained with methylene blue dye and photographed with a scale bar on it. The number of fungiform papillae within $1\; cm^2$ square area of each examination site was counted twice. The counted values were averaged to produce means. Taste thresholds were measured three times on each examination area using an electrogustometer. Means of the threshold values were calculated. 1. The number of fungiform papillae was the largest at the anterior examination area, followed by right lateral, left lateral, posterior and central. Women had more fungiform papillae than men at anterior, right lateral, and center areas. Subjects in twenties showed more fungiform papillae than those in thirties at anterior, right lateral, and left lateral areas. 2. Anterior area of the tongue measured the lowest electrogustometric threshold, followed by left lateral, right lateral, posterior and center. The threshold was higher in men at anterior and right lateral areas. The subjects in thirties had higher threshold only at right lateral area than those in twenties. 3. Electrogustometric threshold was inversely correlated with the number of fungiform papillae at anterior and posterior areas. The results showed that the number of fungiform papillae and taste threshold varied according to tongue locus, and they were influenced by age and gender. The results also suggested that the number of fungiform papillae was related to electrogustometric threshold inversely.