Background : The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there were any changes in fungiform papilla with advancing age. Being senile, patients with tongue disease have tended to be increased in prevalence,
Fi they will require medical care to improve the quality of life.
Methods :The ninty-seven subjects (71 males and 26 females) were included for the study and they are categorized into 7 age groups (0-9, 10-19, 20-29, 30-39, 40-49, 50-59, and above 60 age group). Specimens were Fi obtained from autopsy. 0.25cd sized tissue was taken from the tip of the tongue and midlateral region. The Fi. number of fungiform papilla in the tip of tongue and midlateral region were counted using an darkfield Quebeg colony counter. After hematoxyline-eosin staining, fungiform papilla, arcumvallate papilla were .observed with light Fi; microscopy. By using scanning electron mia osoope, the surface of the fungiform papilla was observed.
Results : There was no change of the number of fungiform pailla in the area tip of tongue and midlateral region with age. Fungifrom pailla in dorsal surface of tongue transformed hemispheric form to cuboidal form with aging. T~.igue fissures were found above twenties. At the light microscopic examination, squamous metaplasia. epithelial hyperplasia, keratohyaline granules with aging were examined. For the scanning electron microscopic examination, outline of fungiform papilla was circular, superficial surface in fungifrrm papilla was smooth : only a few desquamating cells were seen. With aging microplica, microbiae colony, complex of kerainized cells and increase in depth of keratin layer were noted. The superficial cells that had pitted in appearance and Dell ´boundaries are overlapped, also showed the irregular pattern with aging, but there was no significant difference between both sexes.
Conclusions : The number of fungiform papilla was not decreased by aging, its general morphology are maintained even in old age.
Any age-relative differences in taste behavior could not be attributed to degenerative changes in fungiform papilla.
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