Human tongue has a 6th sense?

The human tongue may possess a sixth sense, according to a new study.

Researchers in New Zealand discovered that, in addition to identifying sweet, sour, salty, acrid and bitter tastes, our tongues can detect carbon carbohydrates - nutrients that break down into sugar and form The main energy source for the body. Carbon hydrate activates areas of the brain that are not affected by artificial sweeteners, even when humans only taste, not chew them.

"The mouth is more" talented "than what we judge today, the tongue in the mouth can distinguish carbon hydrates and artificial sweeteners, even if they have the same flavor. "Carbohydrate is a very powerful stimulus, which directly and greatly affects the brain as well as the systems under the control of the brain," said Dr. Nicholas Gant from the Brain Research Center. at the University of Auckland (New Zealand), said.

Scientists already know, gargling with carbohydrate carbon increases activity in certain brain regions. Some previous studies have shown that rinsing with a solution of carbon hydrate, then spitting it will improve performance in intense exercise.

In the new study, Mr. Gant and colleagues used special brain scanning techniques, called functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), to examine the effects of 3 different ways to rinse before a lesson Simple exercise. They compared the results of volunteers' brain scans using a sweetened carbon hydrate solution with a sweet, non-sweetened carbohydrate solution and a third solution, not containing carbohydrates.

The results showed that when subjects studied gargling with sweetened carbohydrate solution, visual control brain regions, associated with sensation, muscle satisfaction and activity would be activated more strongly than when using 2 remaining solutions. The fact that the other two solutions do not produce the same effect implies, we can identify the carbohydrates in the mouth by the ability to feel separately with sweetness.

Gant and his colleagues said that the "sixth sense" of the tongue can help explain why athletes react immediately to carbohydrates, become more energetic and healthy when sipping. The solution contains these substances, even before carbon carbohydrates have time to enter the body and turn into energy.

"The sixth sense" may also help explain why diets often do not bring satisfaction or can help us understand some aspects of uncontrolled disorders of eating in humans.