[Objective gustometry with adequate stimulation by registration of contingent negative variation].

Cortical evoked potentials require a steep and temporally reproduceable onset of sensory stimulation. As both items are difficult with gustatory stimuli, we tried to record the slow expectancy potential or "contingent negative variation" (CNV), which has turned out to be useful in objective olfactometry and speech audiometry. Sour, sweet, bitter or salty fluids were embedded in a water stream, which was sucked through a device well fitting to the tongue with holes at adequate locations. The negative vertex potential developped reproduceably between the recognition of taste and the acoustic signal, which could be expected only after one of the two alternatively offered gustatory stimuli. Clinical use of the method is demonstrated in a case of asymmetric loss of smell due to interruption of the chorda tympani during cholesteatoma operation. The CNV appeared only when stimulating the side of the tongue opposite to the ear operated on. In addition to the total or unilateral loss of taste, the ability to differentiate between two gustatory qualities can be diagnosed with an objective method, provided the patient cooperates by calm and attentive behaviour.