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Biomedical subjects

J E Steiner

Publications and source records attributed to J E Steiner.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2001

Comparative expression of hedonic impact: affective reactions to taste by human infants and other primates.

This study examines behavioral affective reactions elicited by tastes from eight newborn human infants, and from 27 other infant or adult primates. Non-human primates belonged to 11 species: three great apes (chimpanzee, orangutan, gorilla), three Old World monkeys (rhesus monkey, greater spot-nosed monkey, and red-capped mangabey), four New World monkeys (golden-handed tamarin, cotton-top tamarin, white tufted-ear marmoset, and Humboldt's night monkey), and one lemur (mongoose lemur). The taste of sucrose elicited homologous positive hedonic patterns of facial affective reactions from humans and other primates, whereas quinine elicited homologous aversive or negative affective patterns. The degree of similarity between human and other primate affective reaction patterns appeared to be strongly indicative of their phylogenetic relatedness. For example, affective reaction patterns of human infants and great apes were more similar to each other than either were to Old World monkeys or New World monkeys. Certain affective reaction components were found to be shared by humans and all primates, whereas other components were restricted to particular taxonomic groups. Finally, allometric timing parameters for the duration of components indicated that the 'same' affective reaction could have different durations in species of different size. These results show that both positive/negative valence and intensity of affective reaction may be quantitatively assessed in human and non-human primates, and indicate that taste-elicited affective reaction patterns of human infants are related systematically to those of other primate species.

Affect↗
PubMed1997

Taste and smell in familial dysautonomia.

Familial dysautonomia (FD) is one of the classic diseases characterised by taste and smell abnormalities. However, these typical features are based on data obtained from two separate crude studies published in 1964. In the present study psychophysical-cognitive and reflex-like facial-behavioral responses to taste and smell, in nine patients with FD and 15 healthy controls, were recorded. Five taste stimulants were presented to both study groups, while a selection of common household odors was used for FD patients only. The patients with FD showed a markedly higher incidence of recognition failures for salty, bitter, sweet, and water stimuli than the controls, but rate of recognition of sour stimuli was almost identical in the two groups. Estimates by the subjects on a hedonic scale of 0 to 10 and facial display in FD indicated a relatively normal sensitivity to sour stimuli and to a lesser extent to bitter stimuli. Water, sweet, and salty stimuli evoked non-discriminatory responses. These findings indicate specific dyageusia rather than general ageusia. Smell was found to be normal. In children with taste and smell impairment, a systematic evaluative approach may help in planning palatable diets for adequate and comfortable nutrition.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1997

Taste- and odor-reactivity in heroin addicts.

Opiates in general, and heroin in particular, are known to induce compulsive drug-seeking and drug-taking behavior. Addiction is accompanied by psychobiological processes which may distort perception of sensory stimuli. Gustatory and olfactory stimuli are hedonically polarized and therefore most appropriate for the assessment of the organism's reactivity to "useful" and "harmful" chemosensory events. Previous studies revealed that psychophysical self-estimates and reflectory facial expressions mirror with comparable reliability the hedonics of the perceived taste and odor sensations. In the present study both cognitive verbal and reflectory facial expressions of a group of: a) heroin addicts were recorded and compared to those of a group of b) detoxified former addicts and to c) a group of matching controls. Results show that all three groups differentiate between pleasant, indifferent and aversive tastes and odors. Active addicts estimated sweet taste and savory smells as being somewhat more pleasant, and bitter and sour tastes and a putrid odor as less unpleasant than did the other two groups. The reflectory facial displays of addicts were less expressive and discriminative than those of the two other groups. Taste- and odor-induced facial displays are known to be controlled primarily by the brainstem. The findings indicate that heroin-addiction affects brain-mechanisms, which mirror taste- and odor-hedonics. Modulation of the phylogenetically ancient, sensory-motor coordinations was found to be of a different pattern than that of the cortically-controlled cognitive reactions.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Taste and odor: reactivity in depressive disorders, a multidisciplinary approach.

Depressive patients often complain about dullness of taste of previously liked food items as well as of persistent bad taste. Taste and smell experience can be reflected by cognitive (psychophysical) indicators and also by reflectory (facial expressive) responses. In the present study 21 depressed, hospitalized patients and 16 control subjects were exposed to food-related gustatory and olfactory stimuli. Psychophysical and videotaped facial reactions were recorded from both groups. Analysis indicated that cognitive estimates of taste hedonics were similar for depressed and control groups; the former responded to sweet taste with a shorter-lasting facial reaction, involving markedly fewer facial features expressing enjoyment, than did controls. Aversive tastes, in contrast, triggered comparable facial expressive features of disgust in both groups. Facial reactions of depressed patients to acceptable and aversive olfactory stimuli were all significantly shorter and more muted than those of controls. Facial reflexes triggered by chemical cues are known to be controlled primarily by brainstem structures. Present findings suggest a possible influence of the profound anhedonia of severe depression on subcortical processes.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Update on hospital-physician relationships under Stark II.

Among the Federal laws affecting business and payment practices in the healthcare field is the limitation on certain physician self-referrals known as the "Stark law." This article includes an expanded analysis of the Stark law, with particular attention paid to Congressional amendments under the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1993.

Financial Management, Hospital↗
PubMed1990

Behavioral reactions to gustatory stimuli in young chicks (Gallus gallus domesticus).

Freely-moving, posthatch chicks were individually presented 2 concentrations each of quinine, citric acid, fructose, sucrose, sodium saccharin, and distilled water and their behavioral reactions were videotaped and analyzed. Already during the first posthatch day distinct rejection responses to quinine and citric acid could be recognized. Prolonged head shaking and beak clapping episodes were the most dominant features of these reactions. While responses to water and sweet stimuli could be interpreted as acceptance behaviors, the resolution was generally not fine enough to discriminate between reactions to the 2 different sweet concentrations of these stimuli or between them and water. When only water or sugar solutions were presented to other hatchlings in a single session, there was a suggestion of more definite acceptance behavior to some sweet stimuli as compared to water. It is concluded that the systems mediating aversive gustatory responses are present and functioning in posthatching chicks while acceptance responses, though present, are less discriminative among stimuli.

Aging↗
PubMed1987

Senior housing developments raise legal issues for CFOs.

Because of the various types of senior housing available, many legal issues must be considered when developing a facility. But with a thorough understanding of the issues and options available, a potential sponsor will improve the likelihood of successfully developing and operating a senior housing facility. This article is the last in a three-part series on long-term care. The previous two articles addressed some of the reasons for entering the long-term care market as well as presenting the financing options available.

Aged↗
PubMed1986

Behavioral displays to gustatory stimuli in newborn rat pups.

These experiments examine behavioral responses to taste stimuli in newborn rat pups during the first 4 postnatal days. Motor displays in the face and head regions of 90 neonate rats were recorded during 60-sec observation periods in a double-blind setting. Stimuli, presented as single droplets to the lips, included 2 concentrations each of sucrose, sodium saccharin, citric acid, quinine, and distilled water. Results from 5 different judges making "blind" and independent observations on different animals were compared for concordance. It was agreed that certain features were consistently associated with one stimulus more than another. Licking and rhythmic mouth movements were found to be the most salient features elicited by sweet stimuli, while head movements and gaping most accurately identified quinine. The sour reaction often contained components characterizing both sweet and bitter. Salient features differed not only by their association with certain stimuli, but by their repetitive frequencies as well as by their likelihood to initiate a behavioral sequence. Intensity and hedonic values assigned to taste-induced behaviors were usually different from water and accurately related to stimulus type. Results suggest that the gustatory system becomes functionally mature during the first postnatal days, and that this functionality occurs before the structural development of all taste buds is complete.

Animals↗
PubMed1986

Temperature preference of drinking water in rats.

The water temperature preference of adult male albino rats was studied. Deprived and normally hydrated animals were exposed at peak hours of consumption to a choice between 12 degrees C and 30 degrees C water or to 12 degrees C and 34 degrees C water. Food intake was not restricted. There was a clear preference for the warmer water. It is concluded that oropharyngeal temperature cues influence water intake.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Sweet preference and dental caries among Bedouin youth in Israel.

Sweet preference and caries prevalence were studied in Bedouin adolescents from two different communities. Twelve-year-old schoolchildren were surveyed in a rural village (30 examinees) and in a more urbanized settlement (30 examinees). Sweet preference was assessed using a free-choice method, while caries was measured by the DMFT index. Results revealed that the "urbanized" examinees preferred higher sugar concentrations and demonstrated higher DMFT scores than their "rural" counterparts. These differences between the two populations were statistically significant. Data were analyzed for correlation between caries prevalence and sweet preference. When each community was analyzed separately, a statistically significant correlation coefficient (Kendall's tau) was found in "rural" but not in "urbanized" children. In pooled data from both communities the correlation was found to be significant, controlling for the effect of the stratifying (community) variable.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1980

Malrecognition of taste in uremia.

Impaired cognitive functions were reported in uremia. The purpose of this study was to quantify the functional state of taste in various stages of chronic renal failure. Taste sensitivity was assessed by asking the subjects to identify test solutions of sucrose ('sweet'), NaCl ('salty'), citric acid ('sour'), quinine ('bitter') and water presented randomly in five concentrations. The number of recognition errors was statistically analyzed as a measure of taste acuity. Four groups of subjects were examined: 20 nondialyzed uremic patients, 23 patients on regular hemodialysis, 20 patients suffering from chronic diseases with normal renal functions and 22 healthy volunteers. Non dialyzed and dialyzed uremic patients younger than 55 years had a significant impairment of recognition in all taste modalities when compared to both control groups. This was less obvious in patients older than 55 years. No differences in taste recognition were found between dialyzed and nondialyzed uremics of all ages. In the younger age group, however, there was imrpovement in the recognition of 'sour' and 'bitter' when tested before and immediately after the dialysis session. As zinc deficiency was excluded in all of the uremic patients we conclude that the impaired taste perception is another subtle facet of the uremic neuropathy.

Adult↗
PubMed1979

Differential arousal response to gustatory stimuli in the awake rabbit.

ECoG arousal response as elicited by deionized water and by several concentrations of sweet, salty, sour and bitter tasting substances, all applied intraorally, were studied in the awake restrained rabbit. The study was carried out on 17 chronic preparations of adult male animals (2.6 kg average body weight). Water as a stimulant was presented in 60 trials and tastants across qualities and concentrations in 245 trials. Arousal was quantitatively characterized by its duration, frequency increment and amplitude decrement as compared to prestimulus conditions. Arousal induced by tastants was compared to that induced by water. Water and tastants induced arousals differentiable by the parameters measured. Further, most tastants produced a dose-dependent response. Comparison of ECoG and behavioral data clearly indicate that tastants inducing behavioral aversion also produce an arousal which significantly differs from response to water while behavioral preference was found not to show similar correspondence with ECoG data. The possibility of using arousal as an objective indicator for taste aversion is discussed.

Acetates↗