NROC64H3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 8: Ventral Posteromedial Nucleus, Vomeronasal Organ, Glycosaminoglycan
Document Summary
Chemical sensation is the oldest and most common of the sensory systems. Humans have an innate preference for sweetness, and rejection of bitterness; however these preferences can be modified with practice. We can recognize only a few basic tastes: saltiness, sweetness, sourness, bitterness, and umami (glutamate) K+ and mg2+ are ions that contribute to the taste of bitterness, as well as more complex structures like coffee and quinine. We perceive different flavours by the activation of different combination of basic tastes, as well as the use of smell + taste, and other sensory modalities (texture, temperature, pain etc. ) The organs of taste include the tongue, palate, pharynx, epiglottis, and nasal cavity. The tip of the tongue is most sensitive to sweetness, the back of the tongue to bitterness, and the sides to saltiness and sourness. However in high concentrations, all basic tastes can be detected by any region of the mouth with varying sensitivity.