Taste Sensation and Neurological Theory

    Understanding the neurological nuances of taste requires an in-depth analysis of the neural pathways,

brain anatomy, and proteins that make sensory functions possible. Such concepts are discussed in the papers

of Ephrin-B/EphB Signaling Is Required for Normal Innervation of Lingual Gustatory Papillae by

Bill Rochlin and Encoding Taste: From Receptors to Perception by Stephen D. Roper. Thus, this paper

will compare the works described in order to discuss the relationship between neural pathways,

brain anatomy, proteins and cognitive taste functions.

Rochlin’s work Ephrin-B/EphB Signaling Is Required for Normal Innervation of Lingual Gustatory

Papillae, evaluates the proteins of Ephrin-B (EphB) in relation to speech. Specifically, he describes that the

protein EphB uses signaling in order to regulate growth of gustatory neurites. Gustatory neurons are sensory

neurons within the peripheral nervous system that aid the brain in identifying taste. Specifically, the gustatory

neurites function to transport sensory information via neural pathways from the tongue and throughout the

primary gustatory cortex. The primary gustatory complex is the region of the brain that recognizes taste itself.

As such, the hypothesis of this study was to verify if Ephrin-B is essential to the regulation of taste sensation

in the brain as well the development of taste buds. Given their presented results, the researchers were able

to fail to reject their hypothesis confirming that EphB is infact a required variable for taste sensory

transduction and transportation.

In reference to Roper’s work, Encoding Taste: From Receptors to Perception, he assesses the nature

of taste receptor cells and their relationship to taste sensory functions. The hypothesis of his study is to

confirm the degree to which tongue cells aid in transducing sensory signals within periphery sensory

organs and transporting signals to the brain. In order to evaluate his theory, he analyzes the role of taste

receptor acting as conductors in an active circuit that carry electrical impulses two and frm the brain.

After making such assessment of his research he was able to conclude that his research was indeed

confirming the tongue’s cell receptors as imperative variables to the brain receiving and providing

feedback signals for taste sensory functions.

The common denominator between these two pieces of work is that they both tell the relationshi

between neural anatomy, pathways, proteins, and taste sensory functions. Rochlins work does so by

analyzing thereltionship between taste proteins. By contrast, Roper’s work accomplishes the same via the

relationship between tongue cells and the brain’s anatomy.

Link: https://morebrainpoints.blogspot.com/2023/05/taste-sensation-and-neurological-theory.html

References

SD;, R. (n.d.). Encoding taste: From receptors to perception. Handbook of experimental pharmacology. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34796381/ 

Treffy RW;Collins D;Hoshino N;Ton S;Katsevman GA;Oleksiak M;Runge EM;Cho D;Russo M;Spec A;Gomulka J;Henkemeyer M;Rochlin MW; (n.d.). Ephrin-B/EPHB signaling is required for normal innervation of lingual gustatory papillae. Developmental neuroscience. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27035151/