Somatosensation, Taste, and Smell (6A) Practice Test

A clinical psychologist evaluates a 45-year-old patient who reports that “food tastes bland” after a recent viral illness. The patient can still detect whether foods are sweet or salty but struggles to distinguish strawberry vs. cherry candy when blindfolded. The patient also reports decreased enjoyment of meals and reduced motivation to cook, despite denying depressed mood before the illness.

Which expected outcome is most consistent with disruption of the olfactory pathway in this scenario?

In a lab study on somatosensation, participants received two-point discrimination testing on the fingertip and forearm. They then completed a brief attention task designed to increase focus on tactile input (participants silently counted each touch they felt). After the attention task, two-point discrimination thresholds improved more on the fingertip than the forearm. The researchers interpret this as reflecting differences in cortical representation and perceptual resolution across body regions.

Based on the study, which aspect of perception is most likely influenced by the described mechanism?