Explain how the gustatory system functions in order to allow one to taste different flavors of food.

Answer:

Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: The gustatory system is the sensory system of taste. Taste buds that contain the taste receptors are located on the tongue, in and around papillae, and on the back and roof of the mouth. The taste receptors, which are sensitive to five taste sensations (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami), convert the chemicals from food into neural signals that are then carried to the thalamus before being relayed to the gustatory cortex in the frontal lobe. Responses may vary but should include some or all of the following information: The gustatory system is the sensory system of taste. Taste buds that contain the taste receptors are located on the tongue, in and around papillae, and on the back and roof of the mouth. The taste receptors, which are sensitive to five taste sensations (sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami), convert the chemicals from food into neural signals that are then carried to the thalamus before being relayed to the gustatory cortex in the frontal lobe.