Kleinsorgen Flavia, Luna Eloá Borges, de Pinho Montovani Pâmella, Xavier Analucia Rampazzo, Silva Alexandra Anastacio Monteiro, Rozza-de-Menezes Rafaela Elvira, Cunha Karin Soares
Graduate Program in Pathology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Oral Dis. 2025 Feb;31(2):656-671. doi: 10.1111/odi.15148. Epub 2024 Oct 14.
Fungiform papillae enlargement is a common oral manifestation of neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). This study aimed to objectively evaluate the size, number, and symmetry of fungiform papillae in NF1 individuals and investigate the relationship between these alterations and taste perception, salivary flow, dietary habits, and BMI.
A cross-sectional case-control study was conducted on 80 participants (40 with NF1 and 40 controls), matched by age and sex. Participants underwent quantitative and morphological evaluation of fungiform papillae, gustatory perception tests, sialometry, saliva analysis, xerostomia assessment, dietary assessments, and Body Mass Index calculations.
The NF1 group exhibited significantly larger and more asymmetric fungiform papillae and exhibited a higher detection threshold for sweet and sour tastes, as well as hyposalivation and lower preference for healthy foods compared to the controls. No correlation was found between papillae morphology, gustatory perception tests, saliva properties, xerostomia, food preferences, or BMI in the NF1 group.
Enlarged and asymmetric fungiform papillae, hyposalivation, heightened sensitivity to sweet and sour tastes, and reduced healthy eating habits were common in NF1. Although fungiform papillae alterations seem unrelated to taste sensitivity and food preferences, further investigation is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying these changes.
