Gustatory

Gustatory refers to the sense of taste. It is one of the five traditional senses. The sensation of taste includes five established basic tastes: sweetness, sourness, saltiness, bitterness, and umami. Other tastes such as fat and calcium have been proposed as possible basic tastes but are not universally recognized.

Physiology of Gustation

Taste, along with smell (Olfaction) and trigeminal nerve stimulation (registering texture, pain, and temperature), determines flavors of food and other substances. Humans have taste receptors on taste buds and other areas including the upper surface of the tongue and the epiglottis.

The gustatory cortex is responsible for the perception of taste. The gustatory cortex is located in the insula on the insular lobe and in the frontal operculum on the inferior frontal gyrus of the human brain.

Taste Buds

Taste buds are gustatory end organs which are primarily located on the tongue. Each taste bud contains a number of taste receptor cells, which are the cells that detect taste. These cells are regularly replaced every 10 days.

Basic Tastes

The human tongue has receptors that specifically recognize each of the basic tastes. Once a basic taste is recognized, the signal is transmitted to the brain so that it can be identified and interpreted.

Sweetness

Sweetness is often connected to substances that have a high sugar content.

Sourness

Sourness is the taste that corresponds to the basic taste sensation of acidity.

Saltiness

Saltiness is a taste produced primarily by the presence of sodium ions.

Bitterness

Bitterness is the most sensitive of the tastes, and many perceive it as unpleasant, sharp, or disagreeable.

Umami

Umami is a savory or 'meaty' taste. It can be tasted in cheese and soy sauce.

See Also

• Olfaction
• Taste buds
• Sweetness
• Sourness
• Saltiness
• Bitterness
• Umami

Gustatory Resources
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