Part A
The parents of a small child have been sent to an Ear Nose & Throat specialist. The child has exhibited strange habits all his life: a foul or pungent taste has never deterred him from putting items into his mouth. In addition, he doesn’t notice strong smells – pleasant or unpleasant.
On careful examination the specialist reports that the child’s olfactory epithelium has formed without cilia and is, therefore, ‘smaller’ than normal. He advises the parents that the child has limited ability to smell and taste and that they need to rely on educating him about what is good to eat and what he should avoid.
The parents have limited education and cannot understand how a problem with the nose affects the ability to taste. They have asked you to explain what is going on. That night, you research The next day you explain
Your assignment is to prepare a short written document for the parents to take home, that explains the sense of smell and its role in the recognition of flavours, so they can better understand their child’s condition. In this document, be sure to explain exactly what the doctor meant when he said that the olfactory epithelium was ‘smaller’ than usual.
In your document include a hand drawn diagram of the Nasal and oral cavity demonstrating the position of the olfactory epithelium and a detailed diagram of the olfactory epithelium showing the olfactory nerve, cribiform plate, supporting cells, and olfactory receptor cells with the axons and cilia labelled.
Part B
Perform the following practical tests on the sense of taste using three subjects (friends and family). Present your results in tables as indicated below and answer the questions that follow (maximum 100 words each).
1. Stimulating the taste buds.
1. With a paper towel, dry the superior surface of the subject’s tongue.
2. Place a few sugar crystals on the dry tongue and do not allow them to close their mouth. Record the time it takes before they can taste the sugar.
3. Dry their tongue again.
4. Dissolve a few sugar crystals in a small amount of water and place a few drops on the subject’s tongue using a straw, spoon or eye dropper. Record the time it takes before they can taste the sugar.
5. Dispose of the paper towels appropriately.
Subject Sugar crystals Sugar solution
Question 1. Discuss the effect of dissolving food on gustation by referring to the action of chemoreceptors.
2. Examining the effects of smell and texture on taste.
1. Obtain samples of the foods listed in the table below. The samples should be prepared so they are of identical size and shape.
2. Ask the subject to sit with their eyes closed and their nostrils pinched shut. At no time should the subject be able to see or smell the foods being tested prior to the activity.
3. Use a random order for testing the food items. For each test, place a piece of food into the subject’s mouth and ask them to identify the food using the following sequence of activities:
a. Move the food around in the mouth to sample the texture. Can they identify the food?
b. Chew the food to sample the taste. Can they identify the food?
c. If a positive identification is not made with the first two techniques, ask the subject to release their nostrils and to continue chewing, to sample the smell also. Can they identify the food?
4. Record the results (using a series of ticks and crosses for correct and incorrect identification) in the tables below.
Subject 1.
Food Texture only Texture and Taste Texture, Taste and Smell No correct ID.
Cheese
Apple
Banana
Dried prunes
Hard-boiled egg-white
Subject 2.
Food Texture only Texture and Taste Texture, Taste and Smell No correct ID.
Cheese
Apple
Banana
Dried prunes
Hard-boiled egg-white
Subject 3.
Food Texture only Texture and Taste Texture, Taste and Smell No correct ID.
Cheese
Apple
Banana
Dried prunes
Hard-boiled egg-white
Question 2. Was the sense of smell equally important in all cases? When did it seem more important? Suggest reasons why.
3. Examining the effects of temperature on taste.
1. Chill the food items used in 2.
2. Have the subject hold some chipped ice on their tongue for approximately one minute and then close their eyes.
3. Immediately place any of the foods used in 2 in the subject’s mouth and ask for an immediate identification.
Subject Food item Identification
1
1
1
2
2
2
3
3
3
Question 3. How did temperature affect the ability to rapidly identify the food? Suggest a reason for this.
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