Biology Interview Question:

Why would a tongue not detect mild sweetness after eating foods with high sweetness?

Submitted by: Administrator

This happens because of the "desensitization" of sensory receptors on the sensory cells of your tongue. This phenomenon occurs in all of our senses, where a strong and continuous stimulus desensitizes us to the same stimulus, so that it is harder to detect. For example, this is how you adjust to new smells, or why it is harder to hear after attending a loud concert. It is part of how your body is able to adapt to new environments. The sensory cells of your sensory organs regulate and “desensitize” these receptors in multiple ways. For instance, sensory receptors on the cell surface can be deactivated or cells can internalize the receptors and degrade them, both of these events effectively reduce the number of functioning receptors on the cell surface and thus reduce its ability to detect a stimulus.
Submitted by: Administrator