Endocrine-Taste Crosstalk: A Scoping Review on Thyroid Dysfunction and Its Genetic Links to Taste Receptors With Dysgeusia.

Abstract

Thyroid disorders are a common endocrine condition globally, affecting various bodily systems and metabolism. Changes in thyroid function affect smell and taste; yet, many patients remain unaware of their dysosmia and dysgeusia. Currently, there is a lack of detailed information regarding changes in physiological taste thresholds across different taste modalities or the genetic polymorphism(s) associated with them. This review underscores the association between genetic polymorphism in taste receptor genes with altered taste sensation in thyroid disease. Data bases from 1990 to 2025 were searched with appropriate Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) terms and Boolean operators (PubMed-MEDLINE, Google Scholar, Scopus, Web of Science, and Embase). A total of 446 titles were retrieved. After elimination and thorough review, 18 articles were included, of which 3 articles met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Understanding genetic changes in individuals with thyroid dysfunction can raise clinician awareness in identification and take proactive measures to educate, screen, and chart treatment protocols. Studies on agonist considered to be the novel drug targets can act on these taste receptors or those resistant to conventional drugs in the treatment of thyroid dysfunction opens new avenues for understanding thyroid regulation and potential drug development targeting Taste 2 Receptors (TAS2Rs).