Physiology of taste and smell

Question 1

What kind of receptors are the receptors for taste and smell?

Answer 1

Chemoreceptors

Question 2

What does stimulation of taste and smell receptors induce?

Answer 2

A pleasurable or objectionable sensation

Question 3

What does taste and smell provide?

Answer 3

A checkpoint for quality control

Question 4

What does taste and smell influence?

Answer 4

The flow of digestive juice

Question 5

What infleunces taste perception?

Answer 5

Information from smell receptors

Question 6

What is gustation?

Answer 6

Taste

Question 7

How are sensory receptor cells of taste mainly packaged?

Answer 7

In taste buds

Question 8

What are the sense organs of taste?

Answer 8

Taste buds

Question 9

What does a taste bud consist of?

Answer 9

Sensory receptor cells and support cells

Question 10

How are taste bud cells arranged?

Answer 10

Like slices of orange

Question 11

What is the life span of taste receptor cells?

Answer 11

10 days

Question 12

What replaces basal cells within the taste buds?

Answer 12

Taste receptor cells

Question 13

What do taste receptor cells synapse with?

Answer 13

Afferent nerve fibres

Question 14

Where are taste buds mainly present?

Answer 14

Tongue
Palate
Epiglottis
Pharynx

Question 15

Where do the majority of taste buds sit in the tongue?

Answer 15

In the papillae

Question 16

What are papillae?

Answer 16

Finger-like structures which give rise tot the rough appearance of the dorsum of the tongue

Question 17

How many types of papillae are there?

Answer 17

4

Question 18

What are the 4 types of papillae?

Answer 18

Filliform
Fungiform
Vallate
Foliate

Question 19

Which 3 papillae contain taste buds?

Answer 19

Fungiform
Vallate
Foliate

Question 20

What does the binding of tastant (taste provoking chemicals) do the the cell?

Answer 20

Alters cell ionic channels and produces depolarising receptor potential

Question 21

What does the receptor potential initiate?

Answer 21

Action potentials in afferent nerve fibres which synapse with receptor cells

Question 22

How are signals conveyed?

Answer 22

By cranial nerves via brainstem and thalamus to cortcal gustatory areas

Question 23

How do afferent taste fibres reach the brain stem?

Answer 23

VIIth - anterior 2/3rds of tongue
IXth - Posterior third of tongue
Xth - Epiglottis and pharynx

Question 24

What are the 5 primary tastes?

Answer 24

Salty
Sour
Sweet
Bitter
Unami

Question 25

What stimulates salty taste?

Answer 25

NaCL

Question 26

What stimulated sour taste?

Answer 26

Acids containing free hydrogen ions

Question 27

What stimulated sweet taste?

Answer 27

Glucose

Question 28

What stimulates bitter taste?

Answer 28

Diverse group of tastants

Question 29

What triggers unami flavour?

Answer 29

Amino acids | Especially glutamate

Question 30

What is ageusia?

Answer 30

Loss of taste function

Question 31

What can cause ageusia?

Answer 31

Nerve damage Local inflammation Some endocrine disorders

Question 32

What is hypogeusia?

Answer 32

Reduced taste function

Question 33

What causes hypogeusia?

Answer 33

Chemotherapy | Medications

Question 34

What is Dysgeusia?

Answer 34

Distortion of taste function

Question 35

What can cause dysgeusia?

Answer 35

``` Glossitis Gum infections Tooth decay Reflux URTI Chemotherapy Medications Zinc deficiencies ```

Question 36

What is olfaction?

Answer 36

Act of smelling

Question 37

Where is olfactory mucosa found?

Answer 37

Patch of mucosa in the ceiling of the nasal cavity

Question 38

What are the 3 cell types in the olfactory mucosa?

Answer 38

Olfactory receptor cells Supporting cells Basal cells

Question 39

What are olfactory receptors?

Answer 39

Specialised endings of renewable afferent neurons

Question 40

What are the characteristics of each neuron?

Answer 40

Thick short dendrite | Expanded end called an olfactory rod

Question 41

What project from the olfactory rods to the olfactory mucosa?

Answer 41

Cilia

Question 42

What are odorants?

Answer 42

Molecules that can be smelled

Question 43

What do odorants bind to?

Answer 43

Cilia

Question 44

What is the lifespan of an olfacotry receptor?

Answer 44

2 months

Question 45

What acts as precursors for new olfactory receptor cells?

Answer 45

Basal cells

Question 46

What forms afferent fibres of olfactory nerve?

Answer 46

Axons of olfactory receptors

Question 47

What transmits smell information to the brain?

Answer 47

Olfactory bulbs

Question 48

What is the path of the olfactory bulb neurons?

Answer 48

Along the olfactory tract to reach the temporal lobe and olfactory areas

Question 49

What does the act of sniffing enhance?

Answer 49

Smelling by drawing air currents upwards within the nasal cavity

Question 50

What must a substance be in order to be smelled?

Answer 50

Sufficiently volatile | Sufficiently water soluble

Question 51

What is anosmia?

Answer 51

Inability to smell

Question 52

Can anosmia be temporary?

Answer 52

yes

Question 53

What are some causes of anosmia?

Answer 53

Viral infections Allergy Nasal polyps Head injury

Question 54

What is hyposmia?

Answer 54

Reduced ability to smell

Question 55

What may hyposmia be an early sign of?

Answer 55

Parkinsons disease

Question 56

What is dysosmia?

Answer 56

Altered sense of smell

Question 57

What are some examples of dysosomia?

Answer 57

Differently interpreting some odours | Hallucinations of smell