Ottis Media and Obesity

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is intended to prepare for the submission of an R01 focused on the growing evidence for an association between otitis media and obesity. A questionnaire given to academic attendees at lectures included demographic information (sex, age, height, weight) and a question about otitis media (Have you ever suffered from middle ear infections? 1) no, 2) yes, but not serious, 3) yes, required antibiotics more than once, or 4) yes, required tubes in ears). Attendees also rated their liking for 26 food/beverage items using a new scale developed to measure food liking in the context of all hedonic experience. This scale .r permits valid comparisons of liking across groups (e.g., groups that differ in history of otitis media). For adults (¿35 years), as otitis media increased in severity, body mass index (BMI) rose; for moderate to severe histories of otitis media, overweight or obesity increased by 35% for females and 27% for males. As otitis media increased in severity, preference for high-calorie foods rose as well. We hypothesize the following sequence of events. Since the chorda tympani taste nerve passes through the middle ear on its way to the brain, the chorda tympani is damaged in the middle ear by pathogens associated with otitis media. The damage to this nerve intensifies some other oral sensations through a release of inhibition mechanism. Because of central connections between oral sensations and retronasal olfaction, damage to this nerve also alters flavor. Alterations in the sensory properties of foods alter preferences for and intake of these foods. Specifically, support is requested to fill in the remaining gaps in this reasoning to prepare for the submission of an R01. First, the otitis media history association with obesity must be verified in properly constituted epidemiological databases. We propose partnerships with the Epidemiology of Hearing Loss and University of Minnesota Center for Otitis Media studies. Verification will support further efforts to determine the mechanism of the association. Second, criteria for otitis media history must be refined with input from otolaryngologists; we have recruited three leaders in this field to guide us. Finally, all of this must be done in the context of expertise in obesity; we have recruited two leaders in this field who also have expertise in potential translation of any results to the clinical problem of obesity.