Physiology - Taste + Smell

Question 1

What type of receptors are taste + smell receptors?

Answer 1

Chemoreceptors

Question 2

What are the sense organs of taste?

Answer 2

Taste buds

Question 3

What is the lifespan of sensory taste receptor cells? Which cells are they renewed from?

Answer 3

10 days

Renewed from basal cells

Question 4

Where are the majority of taste buds located?

Answer 4

In the papillae of the tongue

Question 5

What are the 4 types of papillae on the tongue?

Answer 5

Filiform
Fungiform
Vollate
Foliate

Question 6

All the papillae on the tongue have taste bud associations. True/False?

Answer 6

False

Filliform papillae do not have taste buds

Question 7

Which cranial nerves supply afferent taste fibres?

Answer 7

VII (facial) - anterior 2/3 tongue
IX (glossopharyngeal) - posterior 1/3 tongue
X (vagus) - pharynx, epiglottis etc.

Question 8

What are the 5 main types of taste and their stimulants?

Answer 8

Sweet: glucose
Salty: NaCl
Sour: H+ ions
Bitter: diverse - toxins, poisons, alkaloids
Savoury: glutamate, amino acids

Question 9

What is aguesia?

Answer 9

Loss of taste function

Question 10

List some causes of aguesia

Answer 10

Nerve damage

Inflammation - glossitis, radiation, endocrine disorder

Question 11

What is hypoguesia?

Answer 11

Reduced taste function

Question 12

What is disguesia?

Answer 12

Distortion of taste function

Question 13

Which mucosa is associated with smell?

Answer 13

Olfactory mucosa

Question 14

What are the 3 main types of cell located in olfactory mucosa?

Answer 14

Olfactory receptor cells
Supporting cells
Basal cells

Question 15

What is the lifespan of olfactory receptor cells?

Answer 15

2 months

Question 16

What is the course of the olfactory nerve afferents from the olfactory mucosa?

Answer 16

Pierce the cribriform plate of ethmoid + enter olfactory bulb in anterior cranial fossa

Question 17

In order to be smelled, a substance must be what?

Answer 17

Sufficiently volatile (can enter nose with inspired air)
Sufficiently water soluble

Question 18

What is anosmia?

Answer 18

Inability to smell

Question 19

What is hyposmia?

Answer 19

Reduced ability to smell

Question 20

What is dysmosia?

Answer 20

Altered sense of smell