5.4 - How Do We Taste and Smell?

Question 1

Gustation

Answer 1

Sense of taste

Question 2

Olfaction

Answer 2

Sense of smell

Question 3

Taste buds

Answer 3

Receptors for taste

Question 4

What other sense does taste rely on?

Answer 4

Smell

Question 4

What are the 5 basic qualities of taste?

Answer 4

sweet
sour
salty
bitter
umami

Question 5

What is a major determinant that someone is a supertaster?

Answer 5

Genetics as opposed to the number of taste buds

Question 6

Olfactory Epithelium

Answer 6

thin layer of tissue in the naval cavity that contains the receptors for smell
(bigger=better , dogs have a much bigger one and therefore they have more receptors)

Question 7

Does smell travel to the thalamus?

Answer 7

No
Smell signals travel from the olfactory bulb directly to the olfactory cortex and bypass the thalamus

Question 8

Olfactory Bulb

Answer 8

brain centre for smell below the frontal lobes

Question 9

Why can smell evoke feelings and memories?

Answer 9

Processed in the same areas of the brain as emotion and memory

Question 10

Pheromones

Answer 10

chemicals released by animals that trigger physiological behaviour or reactions from other animals
- major role in sexual signaling mostly in animals and not so much in humans

Question 11

Q: How is the processing of olfactory information different from the other senses?

Answer 11

Info about smell bypasses the thalamus and goes directly to the olfactory bulb

Question 12

Haptic sense

Answer 12

Sense of touch

Question 13

Mechanoreceptor

Answer 13

• haptic receptor
• responds to mechanical pressure or distortion

Question 14

Thermoreceptor

Answer 14

• haptic receptor
• perceive changes in temperature

Question 15

Chemical Nocioreptors

Answer 15

respond to certain chemicals

Question 16

Fast Fibers

Answer 16

• sharp, immediate pain
• protective

Question 17

Slow Fibers

Answer 17

• chronic, dull, steady pain
• helps in recuperation (ex. brain tells you not to use that body part)

Question 18

What is an important distinction between fast and slow fibers?

Answer 18

• myelination or nonmyelination of their axons that travel from pain receptors to the spinal cord

Question 19

Gate Control Theory of Pain

Answer 19

• cells in the spinal cord can regulate how much pain signaling reaches the brain

Question 20

Things that may close the gate?

Answer 20

• distraction
• wanting to itch
• reducing perception of pain by thinking about it positively
• positive mood

Question 21

Things that may open the gate?

Answer 21

• thinking about the pain
• worrying
• lack of sleep