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PubMed1982

Synesthesia. II. Psychophysical relations in the synesthesia of geometrically shaped taste and colored hearing.

The psychophysical function in two synesthetic subjects, one with geometrically shaped taste and the other with colored hearing, is investigated. Each synesthete is compared with three control subjects. Pilot studies are used to construct appropriate response domains. Compared to controls, synesthetes give a restricted set of responses that are also asymmetric with respect to the range of choices available in various subsets of the response domain. A combination of absolute and relative effects is also distinctive of synesthetic percepts. It is concluded that synesthesia is a distinct phenomenon unlike ordinary mediated associations, and occupies an intermediate position in the range of simple to complex brain mechanisms.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Pseudogenization of a sweet-receptor gene accounts for cats' indifference toward sugar.

Although domestic cats (Felis silvestris catus) possess an otherwise functional sense of taste, they, unlike most mammals, do not prefer and may be unable to detect the sweetness of sugars. One possible explanation for this behavior is that cats lack the sensory system to taste sugars and therefore are indifferent to them. Drawing on work in mice, demonstrating that alleles of sweet-receptor genes predict low sugar intake, we examined the possibility that genes involved in the initial transduction of sweet perception might account for the indifference to sweet-tasting foods by cats. We characterized the sweet-receptor genes of domestic cats as well as those of other members of the Felidae family of obligate carnivores, tiger and cheetah. Because the mammalian sweet-taste receptor is formed by the dimerization of two proteins (T1R2 and T1R3; gene symbols Tas1r2 and Tas1r3), we identified and sequenced both genes in the cat by screening a feline genomic BAC library and by performing PCR with degenerate primers on cat genomic DNA. Gene expression was assessed by RT-PCR of taste tissue, in situ hybridization, and immunohistochemistry. The cat Tas1r3 gene shows high sequence similarity with functional Tas1r3 genes of other species. Message from Tas1r3 was detected by RT-PCR of taste tissue. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical studies demonstrate that Tas1r3 is expressed, as expected, in taste buds. However, the cat Tas1r2 gene shows a 247-base pair microdeletion in exon 3 and stop codons in exons 4 and 6. There was no evidence of detectable mRNA from cat Tas1r2 by RT-PCR or in situ hybridization, and no evidence of protein expression by immunohistochemistry. Tas1r2 in tiger and cheetah and in six healthy adult domestic cats all show the similar deletion and stop codons. We conclude that cat Tas1r3 is an apparently functional and expressed receptor but that cat Tas1r2 is an unexpressed pseudogene. A functional sweet-taste receptor heteromer cannot form, and thus the cat lacks the receptor likely necessary for detection of sweet stimuli. This molecular change was very likely an important event in the evolution of the cat's carnivorous behavior.

Journal Article↗
PubMed2000

Free polyunsaturated fatty acids cause taste deterioration of salmon during frozen storage.

Increased intensity of train oil taste, bitterness, and metal taste are the most pronounced sensory changes during frozen storage of salmon (Refsgaard, H. H. F.; Brockhoff, P. B.; Jensen, B. Sensory and Chemical Changes in Farmed Atlantic Salmon (Salmo salar) during Frozen Storage. J. Agric. Food Chem. 1998a, 46, 3473-3479). Addition of each of the unsaturated fatty acids: palmitoleic acid (16:1, n - 7), linoleic acid (C18:2, n - 6), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; C20:5, n - 3) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; C22:6, n - 3) to fresh minced salmon changed the sensory perception and increased the intensity of train oil taste, bitterness, and metal taste. The added level of each fatty acid ( approximately 1 mg/g salmon meat) was equivalent to the concentration of the fatty acids determined in salmon stored as fillet at -10 degrees C for 6 months. The effect of addition of the fatty acids on the intensity of train oil taste, bitterness and metal taste was in the order: DHA > palmitoleic acid > linoleic acid > EPA. Formation of free fatty acids was inhibited by cooking the salmon meat before storage. Furthermore, no changes in phospholipid level were observed during frozen storage. The results suggest that enzymatic hydrolysis of neutral lipids plays a major role in the sensory deterioration of salmon during frozen storage.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

The future of mapping sensory cortex in primates: three of many remaining issues.

After 100 years of progress in understanding the organization of cerebral cortex, three issues have persisted over the last 35 years, which are revisited in this paper. First, is V3 an established or questionable area of visual cortex? Second, does taste cortex include part of area 3b (S1 proper) and other somatosensory areas? Third, is primary auditory cortex, A1, of primates the homologue of A1 in cats? The existence of such questions about even the early stages of cortical processing reflects the difficulties in mapping cerebral cortex, and reminds us that the era of basic discovery is far from over.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Cocaine hallucinations.

The author reviews the literature on hallucinations that occur as a result of acute and chronic administration of cocaine. He examined the phenomenology of cocaine hallucinations in a group of 85 recreational cocaine users, 15 of whom reported hallucinatory experiences in visual, tactile, olfactory, auditory, and gustatory modalities. He discusses a new phenomenon of "snow lights" in terms of initiating a progression of symptoms leading to the classic "cocaine bugs." He also points out the similarity of cocaine hallucinations to entoptic phenomena and migraine hallucinations, which suggests a common mechanism of action based on CNS excitation and arousal.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

[Dysgeusia in clinical practice. 1. Physiology].

The anatomical basis of taste are discussed both in their peripheral and in central aspects. The perception is based upon four principal flavors; this happens by complex chemical interactions between peripheral receptors of papillae and the taste producing substances. The nervous stimulus flows through fibres of VII-IX-X cranial nerves up to the tractus solitarius nucleus; successive elaboration leads to the taste sensation, whose principal cortical site is the zone between Silvius and Rolando's sulcus. The distribution of the sensible zones for the fundamental flavors is presented.

Dysgeusia↗
PubMed1995

Smell and taste classification of the same stimuli.

Although it has long been known that the perception of flavor depends on olfactory sensations originating within the mouth (i.e., retronasal perception), little is known about how olfactory input is integrated in the flavor complex. In the present study, the qualitative contribution of odor to flavor was explored. Participants judged the smell and taste of pairs of substances (liqueurs). Each set of judgments was analyzed by means of multidimensional scaling, and the scalings were then statistically compared. The results revealed specific perceptual dimensions, namely, sweet-sour, harsh-mellow, which underlie both sensory modalities. In contrast to previous findings, the results show that the characteristics of flavor reflect olfactory attributes that can be apprehended outside the mouth.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Substance and tongue-region specific loss in basic taste-quality identification in elderly adults.

Physiological anorexia, decreased dietary variation, and weight loss associated with poor health are common conditions in the elderly population, with changes in chemosensory perception as important contributing causes. The present study of age-related taste loss aimed to investigate the question whether this loss is generalised and unspecific, or whether it exhibits differences in relation to certain tastants and/or differences in the topographical distribution of age-related loss. Impregnated "taste strips" with four concentrations of each of the tastants sucrose, NaCl, quinine-hydrochloride, and citric acid were applied on the tip, midlateral and posteromedial tongue regions to be identified as either sweet, salty, bitter, or sour by 30 young and 26 elderly adults. The results showed more pronounced age-related loss in identification for citric acid and quinine-hydrochloride than for sucrose and NaCl at both the tip and midlateral regions, but not at the posteromedial region where both age groups performed close to chance level. These findings may have implications for food preferences, and thus, the diets of elderly people.

Aged↗
PubMed2006

Performance of F2 B6x129 hybrid mice in the Morris water maze, latent inhibition and prepulse inhibition paradigms: Comparison with C57Bl/6J and 129sv inbred mice.

Assessment of cognition and information processing in mice is an important tool in preclinical research that focuses on the development of cognitive enhancing drugs. Analysis of transgenic (TG) and knockout (KO) mice is usually performed on a F2 B6x 129 background. In the present study, we have compared performance of F2 B6x 129 hybrid mice (F2 mice) with that of the two parental inbred strains (C57Bl/6J and 129sv mice), and a wild-type (WT) strain (with a combined B6x 129 background) in three cognitive/information processing paradigms. It was found that the F2 mice outperformed either of the parental strains and provide a control sample with good baseline performance in the Morris water maze (MWM). Reliable deficits could be obtained in learning and memory in this paradigm following injections with scopolamine (0.16 mg/kg) in the F2 mice, which can potentially be used to test effects of reference and novel compounds in order to develop cognitive enhancing drugs. Furthermore, it was shown that the four genotypes showed normal latent inhibition (LI) using the conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm and exhibited no differences in prepulse inhibition (PPI) levels. Following the setup of these procedures in mice, we are now able to compare the effects of gene knockout/mutations used for target validation with results in the present study as a frame of reference.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Clinical trial of an air-abrasion/chemomechanical operative procedure for the restorative treatment of dental patients.

The aim of this study was to investigate whether caries removal with air-abrasion/Carisolv gel is an acceptable and viable alternative in the treatment of dental patients. Twenty-two patients were treated with conventional methods (local anaesthetic injection/drill) followed by alternative treatment (air-abrasion and Carisolv gel) in a general practice setting, by the same operator. The participants' pre-operative anxiety levels were measured using the Modified Dental Anxiety Scale. Their postoperative levels of anxiety/dislike for aspects of both conventional and alternative treatments were assessed using a visual analogue scale. Levels of anxiety/dislike for both treatments were compared and statistically analysed. Results showed 100% of subjects were concerned about several aspects of conventional treatment including pain/discomfort on injection, taste of anaesthetic, length of time tissues remained numb, noise of the drill, its sensory vibrations and water coolant. However, 75% of the study population were happy with all aspects of the air-abrasion technique including dust, pain/discomfort and vibrations produced. Overall, the study population found Carisolv gel to be an acceptable alternative method of caries removal in terms of time taken, pain/discomfort and taste. There were statistically significant differences between patients' perceptions of various aspects of the two treatment methods. All participants found the alternative treatment to be pain-free, quicker and overall more acceptable compared with conventional treatment. The conclusion drawn from the study was that air-abrasion/Carisolv gel treatment was a well-accepted and viable alternative to conventional local anaesthetic injection and drill for dental patients.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2003

Preconceptions of taste based on color.

The authors examined preconceptions of taste based on color with a questionnaire administered to 45 college students. The questionnaire related 8 tastes with 10 colors. The results suggested that only a limited number of colors are positively associated with preconceptions of taste. However, certain colors (e.g., red and green) showed consistent patterns of association with taste. Implications for future research examining an indirect relationship between color and taste are discussed.

Adult↗
PubMed1987

Blood glucose level affects perceived sweetness intensity in rats.

Electrophysiological data indicate that hyperglycemia is associated with decreased neural taste responsiveness to 1.0 M glucose, but not to 0.01 M quinine HCl, in the rat's hindbrain. The present behavioral experiment was conducted to determine whether this suppression of neural activity is manifested in a reduced intensity perception to glucose, but not quinine. Each rat learned to avoid 1.0 M glucose through development of a conditioned taste aversion. Perceived intensity was then measured in control and in hyperglycemic rats by the extent to which they generalized to each test concentration of glucose. Experimental subjects treated moderate glucose concentrations (0.6-2.0 M) as if their intensity perceptions were reduced by 47%. This is consistent with the mean reduction of 43% in taste-evoked neural activity associated with hyperglycemia. A corresponding experiment gave no indication of a change in intensity perception to quinine as a function of hyperglycemia, again in accord with earlier electrophysiological results. We conclude that nutritional state may selectively affect gustatory sensitivity in the rat.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

The influences of attitudes, beliefs and label information on perceptions of reduced-fat spread.

A sample of 101 consumers completed questionnaires assessing use, attitudes and beliefs with regard to full- and reduced-fat (FF and RF) spreads. In sensory tests, they rated liking of selected attributes and overall liking of a RF spread sample labelled as "reduced-fat spread 40% fat" or "full-fat margarine 80% fat". The amount spread onto bread was also determined. Other than an effect on likelihood of consumption, there were no consistent effects of label alone on any of these measures. However, analyses of sensory and hedonic ratings revealed consistent interactive effects of label information with consumer attitudes, beliefs, and (to a lesser degree) with the type of spread normally used. Eating restraint and body composition were generally unrelated to sensory ratings and response to label information. The overall effect of label information was to shift sensory judgments in a direction more consistent with an individual's beliefs; i.e., hedonic responses from subjects with more positive attitudes toward RF or FF spreads were significantly greater in the respective label condition. Given this potential differential influence of labelling, we recommend that consumer trials manipulating provision of information should include measures assessing subjects' attitudinal characteristics.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Perceptions of risks of eating undercooked meat and willingness to change cooking practices.

Knowledge and awareness of food safety issues relating to improperly cooked hamburger and willingness to change hamburger cooking practices were examined from a representative sample of 1004 adult Texans. Awareness of the danger of improperly cooked hamburger, knowledge of specific foodborne pathogens and knowledge of food safety practices had no effect on willingness to change behavior, but respondents who were better-educated, female and Hispanic and respondents who used newspapers/magazines or televisions were all more likely to report willingness to change their cooking practices.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Perceptions of starchy food dishes: application of the Repertory Grid Method.

The Repertory Grid Method (RGM) was applied to obtain an understanding of the characteristics used by U.K. consumers in discriminating amongst different common starchy food dishes, including potatoes, rice and pasta. Twenty-nine subjects generated a large number of constructs, relating to perceived nutrition, health physiological effect, sensory, and use attributes of these products. Coupling of RGM with Generalized Procrustes Analysis produced detailed qualitative and quantitative information describing common and individual characteristics of particular dishes. The results indicate that starchy foods are in general seen as "filling", but specific products are clearly discriminated along two dimensions, predominantly relating to nutritional value ("healthy", "fatty", "fattening") and sensory/functional characteristics ("versatile", "bland", "boring", "a meal in itself"). Along with further analysis of the sensory descriptors, these results indicate the utility and efficiency of RGM for clarifying consumer views of broad food categories, while identifying the potential acceptability of particular starchy foods in fulfilling current dietary goals.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Epidural test dose: lidocaine 100 mg, not chloroprocaine, is a symptomatic marker of i.v. injection in labouring parturients.

The authors studied the sensitivity (SN) and specificity (SP) of an epidural test dose containing either lidocaine 100 mg or 2-chloroprocaine 100 mg as symptomatic markers of intravascular injection in labouring parturients. In a prospective, double-blind and randomized fashion 48 unmedicated and labouring parturients were equally divided into three groups. After placement of a lumbar epidural catheter the normal saline group (NS) received 5 ml normal saline i.v., the lidocaine group (LD) received lidocaine 100 mg i.v., and the 2-chloroprocaine group (CH) received 2-chloroprocaine 100 mg i.v. All injections were given during uterine diastole. Within the next one to two minutes a blinded observer recorded the patient's perception of the presence of metallic or funny taste, dizziness, and tinnitus. We then calculated SN and SP of each symptom (alone and in combination) along with their positive (+) and negative (-) predictive value (PV). In both groups no symptom alone reached clinically acceptable levels of SN (< 87%). Only in the LD group, tinnitus+taste and dizziness+taste reached a SN of 100% with a SP of 81% and 69% respectively. While the -PV was 100% for both groups of symptoms, the +PV reached 42% for tinnitus+taste and 30% for dizziness+taste. We conclude that lidocaine 100 mg is a sensitive marker of intravascular injection in labouring parturients, and that tinnitus+taste is the most reliable indicator of intravenous injection.

Anesthesia, Epidural↗