Taste

Question 1

What is a main function of taste?

Answer 1

Avoidance of potentially toxic compounds

Question 2

What section of the population are affected by chemosensory dysfunctions?

Answer 2

Elderly

Question 3

What are chemoreceptors?

Answer 3

Receptors which are stimulated by chemical substances

Question 4

What are 4 examples of chemoreceptors?

Answer 4

1. Cutaneous nociceptors
2. Circulatory sensors
3. Olfactory receptors
4. Taste receptors

Question 5

Why do two nostrils receive slightly different chemical signatures?

Answer 5

Allows finer discrimination of odours

Question 6

How are smells sensed?

Answer 6

Volatile chemicals are inhaled into nasal passages and stimulate olfactory receptors

Question 7

What is the loss of smell called?

Answer 7

Anosmia

Question 8

Name 5 taste sensations

Answer 8

1. Salty
2. Sour
3. Bitter
4. Sweet
5. Umami

Question 9

What is the loss of taste called?

Answer 9

Ageusia

Question 10

What simulates a salty taste?

Answer 10

Positive charged sodium ions

Question 11

What simulates a sour taste?

Answer 11

H⁺ ions

Question 12

What stimulates a bitter taste?

Answer 12

Alkaloids

Question 13

What stimulates a sweet taste?

Answer 13

Saccharine

Question 14

What stimulates an umami taste?

Answer 14

Glutamate or MSG

Question 15

Rank the 5 tastes from most sensitive to least sensitive

Answer 15

1. Bitter
2. Sour
3. Umami
4. Salty / Sweet

Question 16

Name 4 places that taste buds can be found

Answer 16

1. Tongue
2. Palate
3. Pharynx
4. Epiglottis

Question 17

What are 3 types of taste buds located on the dorsal surface of the tongue?

Answer 17

1. Circumvallate
2. Folate
3. Fungiform papillae

Question 18

Where are circumvallate taste buds found?

Answer 18

Medial margin at the rear of the tongue

Question 19

Where are folate taste buds found?

Answer 19

Lateral margin at the rear of the tongue

Question 20

Where are fungiform papillae taste buds found?

Answer 20

Anterior part of the tongue

Question 21

What are taste cells?

Answer 21

Specialised epithelial cells organised into onion-shaped units called taste buds

Question 22

What is the role of type I taste cells?

Answer 22

Supporting cells

Question 23

What is the role of type II taste cells?

Answer 23

Contain receptors for sweet, bitter and umami tastes (possibly salty)

Question 24

What is the role of type III taste cells?

Answer 24

Contain receptors for sour tastes

Question 25

What is the role of type IV taste cells?

Answer 25

Basal cells which supply new taste cells

Question 26

What is the lifetime of a taste-sensitive cell?

Answer 26

2 weeks

Question 27

What nerves innervate taste buds?

Answer 27

Facial - Cranial VII Glossopharyngeal - Cranial IX Vagus - Cranial X

Question 28

Give a brief account of how food is tasted

Answer 28

* Saliva carries food over taste buds * Gustatory hairs causes gustatory cells to be stimulated * Gustatory afferent nerve of cranial nerves carry signal to brain * Chemicals detected translated to taste by brain

Question 29

What provides flavour of food?

Answer 29

Central processing of taste and smell

Question 30

Give 2 examples of dental products which can cause a taste disturbance

Answer 30

1. Chlorhexidine - Bitter aftertaste | 2. Sodium lauryl sulphate - Loss of sweet and salty taste

Question 31

Give 2 examples of antibiotics which can cause a taste disturbance

Answer 31

1. Doxycycline - Anosmia | 2. Tetracycline - Metallic taste

Question 32

What is the anatomical difference between supertasters, medium tasters and non-tasters?

Answer 32

The amount of fungiform papillae found in the anterior region of the tongue