8.5 Gustatory/Taste Perception + 8.5.1 Biological Factors

Question 1

5 Basic Tastes

Answer 1

sweet, sour, salty, bitter, umami.

Question 2

Taste Buds

Answer 2

uniformly distributed throughout the tongue and mouth, idea of taste specialization on specific tongue regions is inaccurate
-> All taste buds can receive all tastes, but each is slightly more sensitive to one of the five primary tastes
-> certain areas of the tongue respond slightly more strongly to one taste sensation

Question 3

How do we taste?

Answer 3

Stimulus -> Reception -> Transmission -> Interpretation

Question 4

Stimulus

Answer 4

Chemical molecules in food combine with saliva on tongue

Question 5

Reception

Answer 5

receptors detect/respond to chemical molecules

Question 6

Transduction

Answer 6

receptors convert molecules into neural signal for brain

Question 7

Transmission

Answer 7

Sent to brain by cranial nerves

Question 8

Intepretation

Answer 8

Interprets information in primary gustatory cortex

Question 9

Biological Factors that Influence Taste Perception

Answer 9

Genetics, Age

Question 10

Genetics

Answer 10

Our differences in genes can affect our taste perception and preferences
Example:
1. TAS2R38 gene can make some individuals more sensitive to bitter tastes -> explain why people dislike bitter vegetables like broccoli

Question 11

Age

Answer 11

Children have more taste receptors than adults. We start to lose taste buds as we age
Apeople age, they often report a loss of taste
-> decline in the sense of smell.
-> Structural changes in taste papillae, which contain taste buds, reducing their responsiveness to food tastes.
-> Chewing problems, tooth loss
-> Reduction in saliva production: help dissolve them