Definition

Dysgeusia is a disorder of the sense of taste.

Description

Any condition that affects the ability to taste is referred to as dysgeusia. While dysgeusia is often used to describe any change in the sense of taste, more specific terms include ageusia (complete loss of the sensation of taste); hypogeusia (decreased sense of taste); parageusia (bad taste in the mouth); and dysgeusia (distorted sense of taste, such as a metallic taste in the mouth). A wide variety of conditions can cause a deficit in the sense of taste, including any conditions that interfere with the functioning of the taste buds (the nerve cells on the tongue that process information about taste), conditions that interrupt the taste signal that is sent to the brain, or conditions that interfere with the normal brain processing of those signals. Processes that affect the functioning of the lingual nerve or the glossopharyngeal nerve may...