Taste
Natural History of the Senses- TASTE
When thinking about taste, it is important to realize that not only do we
experience taste differently then other humans, but other species and organisms as
well. According to the text, adults have 10,000 taste buds that are grouped by theme
(salt, sour, sweet, bitter). These are located at various different places in the mouth.
Also, inside each taste bud are about fifty taste cells that are relaying information to
other neurons in the brain. Not much of the taste happens in the tongue like we
often think it does. Rather there are taste buds responsible for this that are located
on the palate, pharynx, and tonsils. Compared to humans, rabbits have 17,000 taste
buds while parrots have only a mere 400. Therefore, their brains and taste buds
interpret taste differently and thus have entirely different experiences when it
comes to food.
As humans our taste buds are capable of undergoing drastic changes
throughout our lifespan development. For example, there are many foods growing
up that I despised, but now love, and vice versa. Specifically, growing up I was
unable to eat vegetables, as are most children. However, as I grew up my taste buds
adapted so that now the taste of vegetables is actually appealing to me. It is actually
very common for our taste buds to change preference throughout our early
adolescent years. Also, several studies show that taste buds deteriorate as we get
older. Below is a NY Times article regarding our sense of taste and how it changes
in respect to aging.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/booming/sense-of-taste-changes-with-
age.html?_r=1
When thinking about taste, it is important to realize that not only do we
experience taste differently then other humans, but other species and organisms as
well. According to the text, adults have 10,000 taste buds that are grouped by theme
(salt, sour, sweet, bitter). These are located at various different places in the mouth.
Also, inside each taste bud are about fifty taste cells that are relaying information to
other neurons in the brain. Not much of the taste happens in the tongue like we
often think it does. Rather there are taste buds responsible for this that are located
on the palate, pharynx, and tonsils. Compared to humans, rabbits have 17,000 taste
buds while parrots have only a mere 400. Therefore, their brains and taste buds
interpret taste differently and thus have entirely different experiences when it
comes to food.
As humans our taste buds are capable of undergoing drastic changes
throughout our lifespan development. For example, there are many foods growing
up that I despised, but now love, and vice versa. Specifically, growing up I was
unable to eat vegetables, as are most children. However, as I grew up my taste buds
adapted so that now the taste of vegetables is actually appealing to me. It is actually
very common for our taste buds to change preference throughout our early
adolescent years. Also, several studies show that taste buds deteriorate as we get
older. Below is a NY Times article regarding our sense of taste and how it changes
in respect to aging.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/06/booming/sense-of-taste-changes-with-
age.html?_r=1
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