Chemical Senses : Taste

Neuroscience Ch. 8

What is another term for taste?

Gustation

What is another term for smell?

Olfaction

What are chemoreceptors?

Sensory receptors that respond to chemical stimuli play a crucial role in taste and smell.

Umami

A taste sensation often described as savory and is associated with the flavor of glutamate.

What are the basic ways the brain distinguishes flavor?

Through taste, smell, sight, temperature, and texture signals. This integration of sensory inputs creates the perception of flavor.

What is the tip of the tongue most sensitive to?

It is most sensitive to sweet and salty tastes. It contains a high concentration of taste buds, specifically for these flavor profiles.

What is the back of the tongue most sensitive to?

It is primarily sensitive to bitter tastes. This region is equipped with taste buds that react to bitter compounds, which can signal potentially harmful substances.

What are the sides of the tongue most sensitive to?

It is most sensitive to sour tastes. This area can detect acidity in foods, alerting to the presence of sour flavors.

What are some substances that make things sweet?

Fructose, sucrose, monellin proteins, and artificial sweeteners like aspartame and sucralose are common substances that make things sweet.

What are substances that taste bitter?

Common bitter substances include K+ and Mg 2+ ions, caffeine, and quinine.

Why can bitter substances be tasted at lower concentrations?

Bitter substances can be tasted at lower concentrations due to the heightened sensitivity of taste buds, which evolved as a defense mechanism against toxic substances.

What are papillae?

Papillae are small, bump-like structures on the tongue that contain taste buds and are responsible for detecting taste.

Apical end

The sensitive part of a taste receptor cell

Taste pore

A small opening on the surface of the tongue where the taste cell is exposed to the contents of the mouth