Taste

taste buds

create neural signals for cranial nerves VII, IX, X

embedded in papillae

tastants

anything that can be tasted

two pathways: channels for salty/sour and G protein-coupled receptors

insular cortex

primary cortical processing area for taste

orbitofrontal cortex

receives projections from insular cortex

some neurons are multimodal

taste pathway

taste buds → facial nerve VII, glossopharyngeal nerve IX, vagus nerve X → insular cortex → orbitofrontal cortex

salty

made of cations and anions, cation enters channel

ability to perceive and how much you like it is not static

experience in gestation changes perception and liking

sour

acidic, high concentrations will damage tissue

bitter

20-30 receptors for this taste, cannot distinguish differences between them

indicates poison

bitter sensitivity increases during pregnancy

quinine

prototype of bitter substance

sweet

evoked by sugar

taste changes depending on appetite

indicates nutrition (evolutionarily)

umami

savouriness, taste of glutamate

MSG is artifical version of this

retronasal olfactory sensation

created by olfaction in the presence of taste and somatosensation

flavour

flavour

patient with damaged taste and normal olfaction cannot taste ______

sense on the tongue determine if ______ is perceived and where it is perceived