Course Description
This course will focus on the neurobiological basis of food perception and chemical senses. The course will introduce advanced knowledge and studies in the mechanisms of chemoreception (taste and smell) and the relation between sensory acceptability and dietary intake.
Athena Title
Food Chemoreception
Pre or Corequisite
CBIO 3800 or BCMB 6000 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered fall
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objectives of this course are: (1) to provide graduate students with detailed knowledge of the anatomy, physiology, psychophysics, and genetics of the chemical senses (taste, smell) and trigeminal sense as it relates to food perception. (2) to examine the relation between the chemical senses and food intake. (3) to study the chemical senses in special populations (infants, elderly, and clinical populations).
Topical Outline
1. Anatomy and physiology of the sense of taste (1) mechanisms of taste chemoreception and transduction (2) neural coding (3) development and plasticity 2. Anatomy and physiology of the sense of smell (1) mechanisms of olfactory chemoreception and transduction (2) neural coding (3) development and plasticity 3. Trigeminal nerve and irritation 4. Saliva and oral sensitivities 5. Genetics of the chemical senses 6. Chemical senses and nutrition (determinants of food preferences, relation between sensory acceptability and dietary intake, sensory-specific satiety) 7. Chemical senses in special populations (infants, elderly, clinical populations)