Aziz Al Attar Hisham Kourbaj Taste Aziz Al Attar Hisham Kourbaj

What is taste Taste is one of the five traditional senses that belongs to the gustatory system. Taste is the sensation produced when a substance in the mouth reacts chemically with taste receptor cells located on taste buds in the oral cavity, mostly on the tongue.

WHAT DETERMINES OUR FOOD PREFERANCE Taste is a product of our genes and our environment. Our food preferences are determined by multiple factors, including genes, experience, and age. Taste is also influenced by smell, vision(if the food looks appetizing), or the feel of the food.

EFFECT OF GENES ON TASTE Genes play a part by giving a person a predetermined taste preference, and our environment is a factor in learning new tastes. different genes code for different receptors.

Tongue Anatomy Taste buds are the sensory structures found on certain papillae, which are elevations of the tongue that detect taste stimuli. Each taste bud is composed of two types of cells. The first type are specialized epithelial cells that form the exterior capsule of the taste bud. The second type of cell forms the interior of the taste bud. These cells are called taste cells and function as the receptor sites for taste.

Tongue Anatomy The taste bud is spherical with an opening called the taste pore. Taste hairs are tiny projections of the taste cells that extend out of the taste pore. It is these taste hairs that actually function as the receptors of the taste cell. Cranial nerves VII, IX and X conduct the taste sensations to the brain, which perceives and interprets the taste.

Tongue Anatomy

How do we taste Chemicals must be dissolved in fluid, the saliva provides this fluid medium. The sensory impulses travel on the (facial), (glossopharyngeal), and (vagus) cranial nerves to the gustatory (taste) cortex of the parietal lobe of the cerebrum for interpretation.

How do we taste Although all taste buds can detect all four sensations, taste buds at the back of the tongue react strongly to bitter, taste buds at the tip of the tongue react strongly to sweet and salty, and taste buds on the side of the tongue respond more strongly to sour tastes. There is a fifth taste sensation called umami, a savory taste, like the taste in meat. Taste sensations are also influenced by olfactory sensations. Holding one’s nose while swallowing reduces the taste sensation.

Where is each kind of Taste bud located Sweet Sour Salt Bitter

Disorders Swollen tongue: The normal causes of a tongue swelling include infections, allergies, injuries, metabolic disorders, genetic problems or any other abnormal issue. Xerostomia refers to any condition in which your mouth is unusually dry. Most often, dry mouth is the result of a decrease in saliva produced by the glands in your mouth (salivary glands).

Disorders continued hypogeusia, a reduced ability to taste sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and savory (umami).  Dysgeusia is a condition in which a foul, salty, rancid, or metallic taste sensation will persist in the mouth.  Ageusia is the inability to detect any tastes, which is rare.

Quiz What is needed for the Taste buds to detect the chemicals in the food ? What are the receptors of the taste cells ? What influences taste ? What is a taste bud composed of ? Which cranial nerves are used for taste ?

Resources https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taste_bud# http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/dry- mouth/basics/definition/con-20035499 http://www.healthline.com/health/tongue-problems-2#Overview1 http://www.enkivillage.com/swollen-tongue.html book