Taste Test Could Help Depression Sufferers

Could something as simple as a taste test someday help doctors choose your antidepressant? Some British researchers think so. They gave volunteers drugs that raise either serotonin or norepinephrine--the brain chemicals thought to be responsible for mood--or a placebo. What they found was that patients with increased serotonin could taste sweet and bitter tastes at a lower concentration than before. Patients with higher norepinephrine has an increased sensitivity for sour and bitter tastes.

The researchers theorize that this could lead to tests to determine which neurotransmitters the patient is low in so that an appropriate antidepressant could be chosen. These tests could also determine if an antidepressant is raising their neurotransmitters to adequate levels.

The article appeared in the December 6 issue of The Journal of Neuroscience.