Taste buds?

[Craig]

Do we taste diferent thing than other people or do i not like the taste everyone tastes?

[Bloodstalker]

uh.....huh?

[C Elegans]

All humans have the same basic system for taking in taste - taste buds connected to other cells that lead the taste-sensation into your brain, for interpretation. Also, out smell (olfaction system) is very closely related to taste. But since we are all likely to interpret a taste differently depending on what we are used to and what we information we have previously stored in our brain about tastes, none of us will probably experience excactly the same taste, even if it is the same chemically.

[Aegis]

Uh, wah?

[Craig]

so i taste things differently?

[C Elegans]

Originally posted by craig:
<STRONG>so i taste things differently?</STRONG>

Yes. To put it simple, if you and I eat the same thing, it would taste a bit differently to you than to me.

[Stoner Cold]

but, some things are so down-right-disgusting (sprouts or brocolli) that no-one likes them, even if they do interprit them differently. and vice versa for nice stuff, oike chocolate

[Craig]

I like sprouts and brocolli and i don't eat much choclate

[C Elegans]

Originally posted by craig:
<STRONG>I like sprouts and brocolli and i don't eat much choclate</STRONG>

As I said - taste in quite individual

[Aegis]

Does that have something to do with the strands of DNA in each person, and the distinct genetic make-up in each person?

[C Elegans]

Originally posted by Aegis:
<STRONG>Does that have something to do with the strands of DNA in each person, and the distinct genetic make-up in each person?</STRONG>

Genetically, we should be very similar when it comes to genes coding for taste buds (taste buds are a kind of chemical receptors, really) and the rest of the taste- and olfaction system in the brain. My guess is that only a small part of the individual differences is due to genetic differences.

Rather, the differences in experienced taste in depending on what we experience and learn our nervous system during our life. Just as with perception and interpretation of colour: In some polynesian cultures, people only makes a difference between "black", "white" and "something in between". Studies of these people have been carried out, and since they have no words and no concepts for, let's say "blue" and "green", they experience blue and green as the same colour, just as we experince one hue of blue and another hue of blue as the same colour.

Eh, my explanation is getting more and more messy, it's almost 2 am here. Hope you understand my point

[Aegis]

Load and Clear. You should get some rest. Go to bed C E.

[Sailor Saturn]

Originally posted by C Elegans:
<STRONG>Genetically, we should be very similar when it comes to genes coding for taste buds (taste buds are a kind of chemical receptors, really) and the rest of the taste- and olfaction system in the brain. My guess is that only a small part of the individual differences is due to genetic differences.

Rather, the differences in experienced taste in depending on what we experience and learn our nervous system during our life. Just as with perception and interpretation of colour: In some polynesian cultures, people only makes a difference between "black", "white" and "something in between". Studies of these people have been carried out, and since they have no words and no concepts for, let's say "blue" and "green", they experience blue and green as the same colour, just as we experince one hue of blue and another hue of blue as the same colour.

Eh, my explanation is getting more and more messy, it's almost 2 am here. Hope you understand my point </STRONG>

Speaking of colours, I ate some fish somewhere once that tasted yellowish.

[Craig]

That don't sound good

[C Elegans]

Originally posted by Sailor Saturn:
<STRONG>Speaking of colours, I ate some fish somewhere once that tasted yellowish. </STRONG>

There's actually a special condition, I don't remember the name of it know, but this condition makes people experience a sensation in one modality (for instance, taste) as a sensation in another sensory modality (like a sound or a visual effect).

Strange, isn't it? It's not really a disease since it's not dangerous in any way, and it's very unusual.


EDIT: Now I remember what it's called: synesthetia - unsure about the spelling though.

[ 09-14-2001: Message edited by: C Elegans ]