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Peripheral taste responses in genetically hypertensive rats.
1Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville 22903.
Physiology & Behavior
|June 1, 1990
Summary
Hypertensive rats and their normotensive controls show similar taste receptor function. Electrophysiological taste responses indicate that differences in salt preference are not due to altered taste receptor mechanisms in these rat models.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Neuroscience
- Genetics
Background:
- Spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) tolerate higher NaCl concentrations than Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.
- Dahl salt-sensitive (S/JR) and salt-resistant (R/JR) rats exhibit similar NaCl preferences.
- Investigating taste receptor function differences between hypertensive and normotensive rat strains is crucial for understanding salt intake regulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare electrophysiological taste responses between hypertensive (SHR, S/JR) and normotensive (WKY, R/JR) rat strains.
- To determine if alterations in salt preference are linked to differences in chorda tympani nerve responses.
- To assess the role of epithelial sodium channels in salt taste perception across different rat models.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiological recordings from the chorda tympani (CT) nerve in SHR, WKY, S/JR, and R/JR rats.
- Application of a concentration series of various salts (NaCl, NaAcetate, KCl, NH4Cl, CaCl2).
- Assessment of amiloride hydrochloride's effect on taste responses to identify epithelial sodium channel involvement.
Main Results:
- Relative taste responses to most stimuli were equivalent between SHR and WKY rats.
- R/JR rats showed greater relative responses to NaCl compared to S/JR rats.
- Amiloride suppression was similar between S/JR and R/JR rats, despite differing NaCl responses.
Conclusions:
- Taste receptor function appears equivalent between spontaneously hypertensive rats and their normotensive Wistar-Kyoto controls.
- Differences in salt preference between Dahl salt-sensitive and salt-resistant rats may not be solely explained by chorda tympani nerve taste receptor function.
- Electrophysiological taste responses suggest conserved taste receptor mechanisms across hypertensive and normotensive rat models for most tested salts.