Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children

The satiety inducing hormone leptin acts not only at central nervous system but also at peripheral level. Leptin receptors are found in several sense related organs, including the mouth. A role of leptin in sweet taste response has been suggested but, until now, studies have been based on in vitro e...

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Main Authors: Lénia Rodrigues, Rosa Espanca, Ana Rodrigues Costa, Célia Miguel Antunes, Clarinda Pomar, Fernando Capela-Silva, Cristina Conceição Pinheiro, Francisco Amado, Elsa Lamy
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2017-01-01
Series:Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7260169
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author Lénia Rodrigues
Rosa Espanca
Ana Rodrigues Costa
Célia Miguel Antunes
Clarinda Pomar
Fernando Capela-Silva
Cristina Conceição Pinheiro
Francisco Amado
Elsa Lamy
author_facet Lénia Rodrigues
Rosa Espanca
Ana Rodrigues Costa
Célia Miguel Antunes
Clarinda Pomar
Fernando Capela-Silva
Cristina Conceição Pinheiro
Francisco Amado
Elsa Lamy
author_sort Lénia Rodrigues
collection DOAJ
description The satiety inducing hormone leptin acts not only at central nervous system but also at peripheral level. Leptin receptors are found in several sense related organs, including the mouth. A role of leptin in sweet taste response has been suggested but, until now, studies have been based on in vitro experiments, or in assessing the levels of the hormone in circulation. The present study investigated whether the levels of leptin in saliva are related to taste perception in children and whether Body Mass Index (BMI) affects such relationship. Sweet and bitter taste sensitivity was assessed for 121 children aged 9-10 years and unstimulated whole saliva was collected for leptin quantification, using ELISA technique. Children females with lower sweet taste sensitivity presented higher salivary leptin levels, but this is only in the normal weight ones. For bitter taste, association between salivary leptin and caffeine threshold detection was observed only in preobese boys, with higher levels of salivary hormone in low sensitive individuals. This study is the first presenting evidences of a relationship between salivary leptin levels and taste perception, which is sex and BMI dependent. The mode of action of salivary leptin at taste receptor level should be elucidated in future studies.
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issn 2090-0724
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language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Wiley
record_format Article
series Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
spelling doaj-art-12c2109d459f4c2aa45a549a2bb58d4e2025-08-20T02:02:11ZengWileyJournal of Nutrition and Metabolism2090-07242090-07322017-01-01201710.1155/2017/72601697260169Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in ChildrenLénia Rodrigues0Rosa Espanca1Ana Rodrigues Costa2Célia Miguel Antunes3Clarinda Pomar4Fernando Capela-Silva5Cristina Conceição Pinheiro6Francisco Amado7Elsa Lamy8Institute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM), IIFA, University of Évora, Évora, PortugalGrouping of Health Centers of Alentejo (ACES-Central), Évora, PortugalInstitute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Institute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Évora, Évora, PortugalInstitute of Earth Sciences (ICT), Institute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM) and Department of Chemistry, University of Évora, Évora, PortugalCentre of Research in Education and Psychology (CIEP) and Department of Pedagogy, University of Évora, Évora, PortugalInstitute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM) and Department of Biology, University of Évora, Évora, PortugalInstitute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM) and Department of Zootechnics, University of Évora, Évora, PortugalOrganic Chemistry, Natural and Agrofood Products (QOPNA) and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, PortugalInstitute of Mediterranean Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (ICAAM), Núcleo da Mitra, Universidade de Évora, 7006-554 Évora, PortugalThe satiety inducing hormone leptin acts not only at central nervous system but also at peripheral level. Leptin receptors are found in several sense related organs, including the mouth. A role of leptin in sweet taste response has been suggested but, until now, studies have been based on in vitro experiments, or in assessing the levels of the hormone in circulation. The present study investigated whether the levels of leptin in saliva are related to taste perception in children and whether Body Mass Index (BMI) affects such relationship. Sweet and bitter taste sensitivity was assessed for 121 children aged 9-10 years and unstimulated whole saliva was collected for leptin quantification, using ELISA technique. Children females with lower sweet taste sensitivity presented higher salivary leptin levels, but this is only in the normal weight ones. For bitter taste, association between salivary leptin and caffeine threshold detection was observed only in preobese boys, with higher levels of salivary hormone in low sensitive individuals. This study is the first presenting evidences of a relationship between salivary leptin levels and taste perception, which is sex and BMI dependent. The mode of action of salivary leptin at taste receptor level should be elucidated in future studies.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7260169
spellingShingle Lénia Rodrigues
Rosa Espanca
Ana Rodrigues Costa
Célia Miguel Antunes
Clarinda Pomar
Fernando Capela-Silva
Cristina Conceição Pinheiro
Francisco Amado
Elsa Lamy
Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children
Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism
title Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children
title_full Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children
title_fullStr Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children
title_full_unstemmed Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children
title_short Association between Salivary Leptin Levels and Taste Perception in Children
title_sort association between salivary leptin levels and taste perception in children
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2017/7260169
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