Age-related differences in salt taste acuity.

Salt taste detection thresholds were measured in 76 adults aged 23 to 92 years using a forced-choice staircase procedure, with distilled water rinses between all stimuli. Although an age-related decrease in salt taste acuity was observed, the decrement was smaller than previously reported in other studies. Past reports have probably exaggerated taste deficits in the elderly, because adequate rinse procedures and controls for subject response biases have not been incorporated in threshold measures.