Anthony J Greene 1

Gustation

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Smell & Taste

• In sea-borne organisms, smell and taste are the same - some reptiles smell with their tongues

• Close relationship between smell and taste

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Taste

• Diet regulation

• Last chance to detect a poison prior to ingestion

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Circumvilliate

Folliate

Filliform

Fungiform

Papillae• Circumvilliate• Folliate• Filliform• Fungiform

Anatomy of Taste

Anthony J Greene 5

Anatomy of Taste

• Taste Receptors

• Taste Buds occur on the soft palate and on some Papillae - Foliate, Circumvallete, Fungiform, Filliform (no taste buds)

• About 10,000 taste buds

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Taste Anatomy

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Taste Anatomy

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Central Gustatory Pathway

Taste buds -> Solitary Tract (part of the Medulla) -> Thalamus -> Frontal Lobe

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Central Gustatory Pathway

• Taste buds -> Solitary Tract (part of the Medulla) -> Thalamus -> Frontal Lobe

Primary Gustatory Area (insular cortex)

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Properties of Taste

• The dimensions of taste

Sour

Salty

Bitter

Sweet

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Properties of Taste1. Taste preferences for familiar food

2. Single trial learning - taste aversion

3. Self-Balancing diet