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Questions and Answers
Which sensory system is responsible for the sense of taste?
Which sensory system is responsible for the sense of taste?
Where are taste buds clustered for gustatory transduction?
Where are taste buds clustered for gustatory transduction?
Which type of papillae are mushroom-like and found near the tip of the tongue?
Which type of papillae are mushroom-like and found near the tip of the tongue?
Where are foliate papillae located on the tongue?
Where are foliate papillae located on the tongue?
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Which type of papillae are sensitive and found with parallel rows of ridges?
Which type of papillae are sensitive and found with parallel rows of ridges?
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Where are most papillae found in the oral cavity?
Where are most papillae found in the oral cavity?
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What is the main reason behind humans perceiving a large number of different tastes?
What is the main reason behind humans perceiving a large number of different tastes?
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Why may humans have a higher sensitivity to bitter substances?
Why may humans have a higher sensitivity to bitter substances?
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What is the primary reason for humans to crave sweet, salty, and umami tastes?
What is the primary reason for humans to crave sweet, salty, and umami tastes?
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How does adaptation to taste stimuli occur in humans?
How does adaptation to taste stimuli occur in humans?
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What contributes significantly to the way we perceive taste sensations?
What contributes significantly to the way we perceive taste sensations?
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Why might artificial sweeteners taste much sweeter than natural sugars?
Why might artificial sweeteners taste much sweeter than natural sugars?
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What is the most common taste disorder associated with a strong, lingering taste in the mouth?
What is the most common taste disorder associated with a strong, lingering taste in the mouth?
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Which taste disorder is characterized by a complete loss of the sense of taste?
Which taste disorder is characterized by a complete loss of the sense of taste?
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What taste disorder causes a persistent taste in the mouth, often described as foul, rancid, sour, salty, or metallic?
What taste disorder causes a persistent taste in the mouth, often described as foul, rancid, sour, salty, or metallic?
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What is the term for a partial loss of one type of taste?
What is the term for a partial loss of one type of taste?
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Which type of taste disorder may make all foods taste the same?
Which type of taste disorder may make all foods taste the same?
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What does ageusia refer to?
What does ageusia refer to?
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What is one reason a person with a cold has a reduced sensation of taste?
What is one reason a person with a cold has a reduced sensation of taste?
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Why is it inaccurate to map each taste to a single region of the tongue?
Why is it inaccurate to map each taste to a single region of the tongue?
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Which region of the tongue is most sensitive to sour tastes?
Which region of the tongue is most sensitive to sour tastes?
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What factor enhances taste perception besides the actual taste itself?
What factor enhances taste perception besides the actual taste itself?
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How are hot and spicy sensations typically perceived in relation to taste receptors?
How are hot and spicy sensations typically perceived in relation to taste receptors?
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How does blocking olfaction impact taste perception according to the text?
How does blocking olfaction impact taste perception according to the text?
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What is the site in the medulla oblongata where taste fibers project to?
What is the site in the medulla oblongata where taste fibers project to?
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Where does the thalamus relay taste signals to for conscious perception?
Where does the thalamus relay taste signals to for conscious perception?
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What is the role of the orbitofrontal cortex in taste perception?
What is the role of the orbitofrontal cortex in taste perception?
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What type of ion channel opens in taste cells for salty and sour sensations?
What type of ion channel opens in taste cells for salty and sour sensations?
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What causes the depolarization of taste cells when sodium ions enter?
What causes the depolarization of taste cells when sodium ions enter?
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How are variations in taste intensity produced?
How are variations in taste intensity produced?
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Study Notes
Gustation (Sense of Taste)
- The sensation of taste is called gustation or gustatory response, a special sense associated with the tongue.
- The gustatory system begins with the chemical stimulation of sensory cells clustered in about 4,000 taste buds.
- The surface of the tongue, along with the rest of the oral cavity, is lined by a stratified squamous epithelium.
Tongue Anatomy
- Raised bumps called papillae contain the structures for gustatory transduction.
- There are four types of papillae, classified according to their shape: circumvallate, foliate, filiform, and fungiform.
- Fungiform papillae are mushroom-like, scattered singly, and contain 1 to 8 taste buds.
- Foliate papillae are small, vertical folds located on the tongue's posterolateral sides, and contain several hundred taste buds.
Taste Perception
- There are five primary tastes: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.
- Each taste bud is usually most sensitive to one class of taste stimuli, but can respond to all five basic tastes.
- Thresholds for the five primary taste stimuli vary, with sensitivity for bitter substances being the highest.
- Humans tend to crave sweet, salty, and umami tastes, perhaps in response to the body's need for sugars, carbohydrates, proteins, and minerals.
- Adaptation to taste stimuli occurs rapidly, at the level of the taste bud and within the CNS.
Taste Disorder
- The most common taste disorder is Phantom Taste Perception, characterized by a strong, lingering taste in the mouth even when it is empty.
- There are three types of taste disorders: ageusia (complete loss of taste), dysgeusia (persistent taste that can mask other tastes), and hypogeusia (partial loss of one type of taste).
Areas of Response to Basic Taste Sensations
- The entire tongue is capable of perceiving all five tastes, but sensitivity levels vary for each taste.
- The tip of the tongue is most sensitive to sweet, salt, and umami tastes.
- The sides are most sensitive to sour tastes.
- The back of the tongue is most sensitive to bitter tastes.
Processing of Taste Information
- Taste fibers project to the solitary nucleus in the medulla oblongata.
- Second-order neurons arise here and relay signals to the hypothalamus, amygdala, and thalamus.
- Processed signals are further relayed to the orbitofrontal cortex, where they are integrated with signals from the nose and eyes to form an overall impression of flavor and palatability.
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Description
Test your knowledge about the sense of taste (gustation) and the anatomy of the tongue. Learn about taste buds, chemical stimulation, papillae, and more.
