The consumption of alcohol is influenced by its taste, as shown by an extensive literature. Taste cues have been used in classical conditioning to induce aversion and diminish preference for alcohol. However, much remains to be learned about the taste of alcohol in humans. For example, only one recording has been published on how alcohol affects the human taste buds. The recording showed that alcohol elicits an initial rapid impulse activity in the chorda tympani nerve, which is followed by a second, slowly increasing nerve activity at higher alcohol concentrations. The recording revealed that pure alcohol elicits a taste sensation, but left many other of its effects on the sense of taste to be uncovered. Studies of the nerve response to alcohol show that rats, mice, cats, and dogs lack the initial rapid impulse activity that is observed in humans. The response to other taste compounds show that there are major species differences in the sense of taste. However, the sense of taste in rhesus monkeys and humans seems to be quite similar. A human type alcohol response is also recorded in the rhesus monkey. This proposal suggests recordings from the chorda tympani (CT), glossopharyngeal (NG) and lingual (NL) nerves in the rhesus monkey to study the taste of alcohol in humans. The following problems will be addressed: (a) What kind of response does alcohol elicit in the two taste nerves, CT and NG, (b) what taste qualities are elicited by alcohol, (c) what are the taste effects of the alcohol in alcoholic beverages, (d) is the function of the taste buds affected by blood alcohol, (e) does the consummatory pattern of alcohol intake affect the taste response to alcohol, (f) what are the effects of alcohol on the non-gustatory NL nerve, (g) is its response affected by blood alcohol? The results should have an impact on (1) treatment methods depending on the taste of alcohol (Aversion and preference for alcohol, Alcohol substitutes), (2) how the taste of alcohol is affected by blood alcohol levels and drinking rates (Alcohol tolerance), and (3) the taste of alcohol and the taste of alcohol in alcoholic beverages (Alcohol substitutes, Alcoholic beverages).

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01AA009391-02
Application #
3113476
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (SRCA)
Project Start
1992-08-01
Project End
1995-07-31
Budget Start
1993-08-01
Budget End
1994-07-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1993
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
University of Wisconsin Madison
Department
Type
Schools of Earth Sciences/Natur
DUNS #
161202122
City
Madison
State
WI
Country
United States
Zip Code
53715
Danilova, Vicktoria; Hellekant, Goran (2002) Oral sensation of ethanol in a primate model III: responses in the lingual branch of the trigeminal nerve of Macaca mulatta. Alcohol 26:3-16
Danilova, V; Hellekant, G (2000) The taste of ethanol in a primate model. II. Glossopharyngeal nerve response in Macaca mulatta. Alcohol 21:259-69
Hellekant, G; Danilova, V; Roberts, T et al. (1997) The taste of ethanol in a primate model: I. Chorda tympani nerve response in Macaca mulatta. Alcohol 14:473-84
Hellekant, G; Danilova, V; Ninomiya, Y (1997) Primate sense of taste: behavioral and single chorda tympani and glossopharyngeal nerve fiber recordings in the rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta. J Neurophysiol 77:978-93
Hellekant, G; Ninomiya, Y; DuBois, G E et al. (1996) Taste in chimpanzee: I. The summated response to sweeteners and the effect of gymnemic acid. Physiol Behav 60:469-79
Hellekant, G; Hard af Segerstad, C; Roberts, T W (1994) Sweet taste in the calf: III. Behavioral responses to sweeteners. Physiol Behav 56:555-62