Discover the mechanism of sensory taste of the brain

Experts from Columbia University (USA) said they have just discovered the mechanism of communication between tongue and brain after detecting the presence of specialized neurons for 5 types of taste - salty and bitter , sour, sweet and umami taste (like sweet flour).

>>>The taste in a scientific perspective

For a long time we all thought the tongue was the key taste receptor, with about 8,000 sensory receptors distributed throughout the tongue surface. These receptors function to detect specific signals in food and transmit to the brain, helping us to recognize food tastes. How exactly the brain processes this information is unclear, but new research shows that the decision about the taste is tasted by the brain, not the tongue.

This finding is based on a genetically engineered mouse test so that their sensory neurons glow when stimulated. Next, this group of mice was fed chemicals to activate reactions to the 5 tastes on the tongue. Tracking changes in nerve cells at the base of the brain, the team found that sensory neurons glowed when mice tasted different tastes, indicating a connection between the tongue and brain. together.

According to Professor Charles Zuker, taste cells are regenerated every 2 weeks by stem cells in the tongue. However, this process decreases with age. Therefore, this study may help develop therapies to restore taste loss in older people.

Reference: BBC