[Differentiated effect of the qualities of sweet and sour on parotid secretion]

Taste was considered as an isolated cephalic regulatory moment in parotid salivary secretion. A different salivary response was obtained due to specific taste qualities. "Sweet" taste showed to exert a beta-adrenergic-like stimulatory effect on parotid secretion contrary to "sour" which showed a parasympathicometic effect. A correlation between the intensity of taste sensation and the parotid secretion could not be found; therefore, the taste-mediated parotid secretory response primarily seems to be of the gustatory subcortical reflex type. The central nervous mediated parotid secretory response via vagus appears to be of minor importance.