Taste and smell are chemical senses: both detect molecules from the environment by means of specialized receptors. They help animals find useful resources and avoid potential dangers, and together they contribute to the experience of flavor.
Gustation, or taste, and olfaction, or smell, are closely connected because each begins when molecules interact with receptors. Taste helps an animal distinguish among foods. Smell can signal the presence of food, potential mates, predators, prey, or other chemicals in the surroundings.
All flashcards
What are gustation and olfaction?
Gustation is the sense of taste, and olfaction is the sense of smell. Both are chemical senses that respond to molecules through specialized receptors.
What are the five primary tastes?
Sweet, sour, bitter, salty, and umami.
What does umami mean, and what is it associated with?
Umami is the savory taste associated with L-glutamate and often with protein-rich substances. MSG can be used to enhance it.
Why can smell affect the way food tastes?
Taste and smell combine to create flavor. When fewer odor molecules reach the nose, as during congestion, the smell contribution is reduced and food can seem bland.
How can taste help an animal make food choices?
Taste can provide clues about food value or risk: sweetness may suggest energy, bitterness may warn of toxicity, sourness may signal spoilage, and saltiness may indicate useful ions.
Quiz questions
Where do olfactory sensory neurons send their axons first?Answer: To the olfactory bulb
Which sequence describes the main route of taste signals to the cortex?Answer: Medulla, thalamus, primary gustatory cortex
What is a pheromone?Answer: A chemical that affects behavior or physiology in members of the same species
What does the flehmen response help some animals do?Answer: Move pheromone molecules into the vomeronasal organ
How does olfactory information reach the cerebral cortex compared with most sensory information?Answer: It reaches the cortex without an initial thalamic relay
Based on Biology 2e by Mary Ann Clark, Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi (OpenStax), licensed CC BY 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.