Gustatory dysfunction after mandibular zoster.

Heymans F; Lacroix JS; Terzic A; Landis BN

doi:10.1007/s10072-010-0421-3

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Journal article

Gustatory dysfunction after mandibular zoster.

Heymans F Rhinology-Olfactology Unit, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Geneva Neuroscience Center, University of Geneva Medical School, Rue Gabrielle-Perret-Gentil 4, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
Lacroix JS
Terzic A
Landis BN

2010-10-07

Published in:

Neurological sciences : official journal of the Italian Neurological Society and of the Italian Society of Clinical Neurophysiology. - 2011

English Varicella zoster, limited to the mandibular nerve, is rare. Classical symptoms are pain, hypesthesia and vesicular eruption restricted to the third trigeminal segment (V3). Little is known on taste affection after mandibular nerve zoster. We report two cases of patients suffering from mandibular zoster associated with subjective taste disorder. In both cases, gustatory measures confirmed ipsilateral hemiageusia of the anterior two-thirds of the tongue. After 2 months, the symptoms regressed and psychophysical measures came back to normal values, whereas post-zoster neuralgia lasted for more than 1 year. Gustatory dysfunction is a possible symptom after mandibular nerve zoster. In contrast to post-zoster neuralgia, taste function seems to recover quickly.

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