Taste changes as a metaphor for biographical disruption: A qualitative study in patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

PURPOSE: and objective: The treatment side effects of patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation can cause various eating difficulties. The objective of this study was to explore the significance of eating experiences and taste changes from the perspective of patients undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. METHOD: This was a qualitative, exploratory study based on semi-structured interviews applied during hospitalisation for haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Thematic content analysis and the biographical disruption concept were used as theoretical references to explore the results. RESULTS: Twenty patients were studied. The overarching theme identified from the results was deconstruction of the taste reference resulting from sensory taste change, loss of eating references and changes to the hedonic relationship with food caused by the treatment. In addition to this deconstruction, participants described the reformulation of eating habits as a way of coping with the disease, which affected the eating experience and motivated the dietary strategies adopted. CONCLUSIONS: Taste changes during haematopoietic stem cell transplantation are related to both biological issues and metaphysical aspects. This study raises the meaning of loss of sensory references and their symbolic aspects. These results were important to expand our view to include other aspects that can contribute to improving the care given to these individuals.

Gosto, sabor e paladar na experiência alimentar: reflexões conceituais / Taste and flavor in food experience: conceptual reflections / Gusto, sabor y paladar en la experiencia alimentaria: reflexiones conceptuales

Este artigo discute o uso e definição de termos empregados no campo da percepção sensorial dos alimentos para propor maior precisão desta terminologia na prática clínica e na divulgação científica. A discussão parte de recentes descobertas da Neurociência que trouxeram contribuições relevantes para este campo e de uma retrospectiva de estudos importantes para a área. A partir do conceito definido pelos termos em inglês taste e flavour (ou flavor), foram traçadas correspondências com termos em português, de modo a representar, na terminologia, a conexão entre órgãos do sentido e cérebro na percepção sensorial dos alimentos.(AU)

The present paper addresses the use and definition of terms from the field of sensory perceptions of foods to suggest a more accurate usage of this terminology in clinical practice and scientific categorization. The starting point of the discussion was recent findings in the area of neuroscience that contributed to the mentioned field and a retrospective examination of studies relevant to the subject. From the concepts defined by the terms in English "taste" and "flavor" (or "flavour"), correspondences with Portuguese words were obtained, so that the terminology can represent the connection between sense organs and the brain in food sensory perception.(AU)

Este artículo discute el uso y definición de términos empleados en el campo de la percepción sensorial de los alimentos, para proponer mayor precisión de esta terminología en la práctica clínica y en la divulgación científica. La discusión parte de recientes descubrimientos de la neurociencia que brindaron relevantes contribuciones a este campo y de una retrospectiva de estudios importantes para el área. A partir del concepto definido por los términos en inglés taste y flavour (o flavor) se trazaron correspondencias con términos en portugués, para representar en la terminología, la conexión entre órganos del sentido y cerebro en la percepción sensorial de los alimentos.(AU)