Oral texture perception: Behavioral evidence and neural mechanisms

Food texture has an important role in food preferences, and it guides mastication and swallowing. However, the neural mechanisms underlying oral texture perception in mammals are poorly understood, partly because few animal models have been established for studying texture perception. A major obstacle is that the substances used to modify texture often provide taste or odor cues, making it difficult to isolate texture as the sole sensory stimulus. Therefore, behavioral models that distinguish between physical texture cues and chemical cues are essential for mechanistic studies.

In this review, the behavioral approaches for investigating oral texture perception in rodents are summarized. Tests of innate preference and conditioned learning paradigms were combined with experimental strategies to minimize the effects of chemical cues, examine generalizations across different materials, and manipulate the physical form of test foods. These approaches demonstrate that rats use viscosity, particulate stimuli, and the mechanical properties of gels as oral texture cues. These findings provide a behavioral framework for investigating the molecular and neural mechanisms underlying the perception of oral texture.

Behavioral paradigms that minimize chemical cues demonstrate that rats can use the physical properties of food as oral sensory cues. These models provide a foundation for identifying the receptors and neural circuits underlying oral texture perception, and for understanding how texture information is integrated with taste.