Taste buds?

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Wed Sep 12, 2001 2:04 pm

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

Bloodstalker · Post by **Bloodstalker** » Wed Sep 12, 2001 2:07 pm

uh.....huh?

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Wed Sep 12, 2001 4:34 pm

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 · Post by **Aegis** » Wed Sep 12, 2001 6:33 pm

Uh, wah?

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 5:59 am

so i taste things differently?

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 12:51 pm

Originally posted by craig:
so i taste things differently?

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 · Post by **Stoner Cold** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 12:56 pm

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 · Post by **Craig** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 1:33 pm

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

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 1:41 pm

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

As I said - taste in quite individual

Aegis · Post by **Aegis** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 4:37 pm

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 · Post by **C Elegans** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 4:56 pm

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

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 · Post by **Aegis** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 4:59 pm

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

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Thu Sep 13, 2001 5:00 pm

Originally posted by C Elegans:
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

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

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Fri Sep 14, 2001 11:31 am

That don't sound good

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Fri Sep 14, 2001 5:34 pm

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

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 ]

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 7:24 am

So is that why i feel sick when i eat mushrooms and semolina(is no meal)

Sailor Saturn · Post by **Sailor Saturn** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 8:00 am

Originally posted by C Elegans:
 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.

Synesthesia: Experiencing one sense in terms normally associated with another sense; for example, "seeing" sounds as colors.

*puts away psychology textbook*

I don't think it is as rare as it might seem. Have you noticed that spicy food tastes hot, but hot is a something you feel by touch, not something you taste. It feels hot in your mouth because it burns your mouth. You can't really taste heat. This may be more of a linguistical error on the part of humans, but it does seem to fit the idea of synesthesia.

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 8:15 am

Originally posted by Sailor Saturn:
I don't think it is as rare as it might seem. Have you noticed that spicy food tastes hot, but hot is a something you feel by touch, not something you taste. It feels hot in your mouth because it burns your mouth. You can't really taste heat. This may be more of a linguistical error on the part of humans, but it does seem to fit the idea of synesthesia.

I think associating between our senses, and amodal perception is very common. "Achitecture is like frozen music" is a famous quote from J Joyce.

But IIRC, the condition of synesthesia is more intentense and constant, I remember a case I read about an English lady, who every time whe heard the train signals at the station, immediatley saw patterns of colours and light that used to give her a headache. Famous Russian neurologist Alexander Luria also described a case of a guy who experinced letters and numbers as having colours and tastes. Luria's case fortunatly didn't suffer from the condition.

Craig · Post by **Craig** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 9:16 am

I guessed my familys favourate colours

C Elegans · Post by **C Elegans** » Sat Sep 15, 2001 9:27 am

Originally posted by craig:
So is that why i feel sick when i eat mushrooms and semolina(is no meal)

Don't eat it if you feel sick from it. What is semolina?