Chemical Senses - Taste

A comprehensive set of flashcards summarizing key concepts, definitions, and physiological aspects of the chemical senses, focusing particularly on taste.

What are the different taste qualities we experience?

Sweet, Salty, Sour, Bitter, Umami, Fat.

Why are taste qualities referred to as 'gatekeepers'?

They identify things our body needs for survival and help us avoid harmful substances.

What is anosmia?

Loss of the ability to smell due to injury or infection.

What are the three components of chemical senses?

Taste, Olfaction, and Flavour.

What is the role of taste in our survival?

Taste helps identify both beneficial and harmful substances based on taste quality.

What does umami represent?

A savory taste that promotes salivary secretion.

What type of papillae are shaped like cones and have no taste buds?

Filiform papillae.

What is the function of taste buds?

They contain taste cells that transduce chemical signals into electrical signals.

What is the average life cycle of taste receptors?

1-2 weeks.

What taste quality signals the presence of essential minerals?

Salty.

Which taste quality is associated with energy and survival?

Sweet.

What does sour taste generally indicate?

The presence of acidic substances.

What is a potential effect of tasting something bitter?

An automatic rejection response due to the potential harmfulness.

What are the four types of papillae?

Filiform, Fungiform, Foliate, and Circumvallate.

What is neurogenesis in the context of taste?

The cycle of birth, development, and death of taste receptors.

What is the relationship between taste, smell, and flavor?

Flavor is the perception that arises from the combination of taste and olfaction.

What is population coding in sensory perception?

The idea that similar patterns of firing in the brain represent similar tastes.

What is specificity coding?

The concept that certain receptors are dedicated to specific tastes.

What chemical component allows sour taste perception?

Acids, such as vitamin C.

How do taste cells communicate signals to the brain?

They send neural signals via cranial nerves to the brainstem and thalamus.

What are the taste qualities that produce automatic aversive responses?

Bitter.

Identify two areas in the frontal lobe that are involved in taste processing.

Insula and Frontal Operculum.

How many taste buds are generally found on the human tongue?

Approximately 10,000.

What is the role of the nucleus of the solitary tract?

It receives signals from the tongue and other taste-sensitive areas.

Which taste is increasingly recognized for its significance in survival-related nutrients?

Fat.

What do taste pores do?

Allow chemicals to enter and stimulate taste cells.

What kind of studies have shown individual differences in taste perception?

Genetic studies on receptor density and specialized receptors.

What happens when a food item is paired with gastrointestinal illness?

It may result in taste aversion conditioning.

Are cats able to taste sweetness?

No, cats are the only mammals known to lack the ability to taste sweetness.

What did Robert Erickson study in the context of taste?

Patterns in the chorda tympani nerve for different flavors.

What taste quality is not universally accepted and requires more research?

Fat (Oleogustus).

Why are sensory coding methods like population coding significant?

They highlight how our brain interprets complex tastes through patterns of neural signaling.