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Related Concept Videos

The Physiology of Taste01:24

The Physiology of Taste

The perception of a salty flavor is facilitated by sodium ions within the oral salivary fluid. Upon consumption of a salty substance, salt crystals disassemble, leading to the liberation of its constituents—Na+ and Cl- ions. These ions subsequently dissolve into the salivary fluid present in the oral cavity. The external environment of the gustatory cells experiences an elevation in Na+ concentration, thereby establishing a potent concentration gradient. This gradient propels the diffusion of...
Gustation01:43

Gustation

Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Cannabinoids01:21

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: Cannabinoids

Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is a phytocannabinoid that primarily interacts with the CB1 receptor, a type of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) predominantly in and around the chemoreceptor trigger zone (CTZ) and emetic center. THC also blocks the serotonin receptor activity in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) by inhibiting serotonin release. THC exerts its anti-emetic effects through these interactions, which are beneficial for patients undergoing chemotherapy.
Two synthetic agonists of THC,...
Taste Buds and Receptors01:20

Taste Buds and Receptors

Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
Tactile and Chemical Senses01:27

Tactile and Chemical Senses

Tactile senses encompass touch, temperature, and pain, each mediated by specific receptors. Touch receptors detect mechanical energy or pressure against the skin. Sensory fibers from these receptors enter the spinal cord and relay information to the brain stem. Here, most fibers cross over to the opposite side of the brain. The touch information then moves to the thalamus, which projects a map of the body's surface onto the somatosensory areas of the parietal lobes in the cerebral cortex. This...
Opioid Receptors: Overview01:22

Opioid Receptors: Overview

Opioid receptors, including the mu (μ, MOR), delta (δ, DOR), and kappa (κ, KOR) types, belong to the rhodopsin family of G protein-coupled receptors. These receptors are located throughout the central and peripheral nervous systems and in non-neuronal tissues such as macrophages and astrocytes. Opioid receptor ligands can be categorized into agonists or antagonists. Highly selective agonists include [d-Ala2, MePhe4, Gly(ol)5]-enkephalin or DAMGO for MOR, [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]-enkephalin or DPDPE for...

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Simultaneous Detection of c-Fos Activation from Mesolimbic and Mesocortical Dopamine Reward Sites Following Naive Sugar and Fat Ingestion in Rats
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Endocannabinoids selectively enhance sweet taste.

Ryusuke Yoshida1, Tadahiro Ohkuri, Masafumi Jyotaki

  • 1Section of Oral Neuroscience, Graduate School of Dental Sciences, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 812-8582, Japan.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|January 19, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Endocannabinoids, like anandamide (AEA) and 2-AG, enhance sweet taste perception by acting on CB1 receptors in taste cells. This contrasts with leptin

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Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Physiology
  • Endocrinology

Background:

  • Endocannabinoids (e.g., anandamide, 2-AG) are orexigenic mediators acting on CB1 receptors to stimulate appetite.
  • Leptin is an anorexigenic mediator that reduces food intake and peripherally targets taste perception.
  • A potential interaction between endocannabinoids and leptin in regulating taste and food intake is suggested.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of endocannabinoids in modulating sweet taste perception.
  • To determine if endocannabinoids oppose leptin's effects on taste.
  • To elucidate the involvement of CB1 receptors in endocannabinoid-mediated taste enhancement.

Main Methods:

  • Administration of AEA and 2-AG to wild-type mice.
  • Electrophysiological recordings of gustatory nerve responses and taste receptor cells.
  • Behavioral assays assessing responses to sweet and sweet-bitter stimuli.
  • Studies using CB1 receptor knockout mice and CB1/CB2 receptor antagonists (AM251, AM630).
  • Immunohistochemistry to localize CB1 receptors in taste tissues.

Main Results:

  • Endocannabinoids (AEA, 2-AG) dose-dependently increased gustatory nerve and taste cell responses to sweeteners.
  • These effects were specific to sweet taste, not affecting responses to salty, sour, bitter, or umami compounds.
  • CB1 receptor knockout mice showed no enhancement of sweet taste by endocannabinoids.
  • CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 blocked endocannabinoid-induced sweet taste enhancement, while CB2 antagonist AM630 did not.
  • CB1 receptors were found in type II taste cells expressing the T1r3 sweet taste receptor component.

Conclusions:

  • The taste organ is a peripheral target for endocannabinoids.
  • Endocannabinoids enhance sweet taste perception via CB1 receptors located in taste receptor cells.
  • The reciprocal regulation of sweet taste by endocannabinoids and leptin may contribute to their opposing effects on food intake and energy homeostasis.