Research reveals that children begin using olfactory information to help evaluate emotionally-expressive faces at around five years of age. The findings advance understanding of how children integrate different types of sensory information to direct their social behavior.
A study published in Physiology & Behavior found that desirable taste determines food choice but not consumption volume. Researchers fed mice tasty human foods and discovered they didn't gain excess weight despite strong preference for these diets.
Millions of children in developing countries die due to treatable diseases caused by unpleasant tastes of medications. The Monell Center is working on a project to identify compounds that block bitter or other bad tastes, aiming to improve compliance with life-saving oral medications.
Research finds that cold and carbonation reduce thirst more effectively than room temperature, with astringency, sweetness, or mild acidification having no effect. This knowledge could help guide sensory approaches to improve hydration in elderly, soldiers, and athletes at risk for dehydration.
A study from the Monell Center found that gut enzymes sucrase and maltase are also expressed in sweet taste cells on the tongue, breaking down complex sugars into glucose and fructose. This discovery may lead to the development of non-caloric sweeteners with a better sweet taste.
A team of Monell researchers used mice engineered with OMP knocked out to demonstrate that OMP filters 'noisy' signals, allowing accurate odor information to reach the brain. The findings increase understanding of how the olfactory system integrates and transmits data about odors.
A multidisciplinary team from the Monell Center has characterized the identity and functionality of salt-responding taste cells on the tongue. The knowledge may lead to novel approaches to develop salt replacers or enhancers that can help reduce sodium content in food.
Researchers discovered a distinctive odor signature in mouse models of Alzheimer's disease that appears before significant brain pathology development, suggesting a non-invasive tool for early diagnosis. The odor profile may be related to the presence of an underlying gene rather than actual brain changes.
Research from the Monell Center found that children's ability to detect sugar varies widely, with some being 20 times more sensitive than others. Genetic analysis revealed a link between bitter receptor genes and sweet taste sensitivity, while dietary records showed a correlation between sugar consumption and body fat.
A new study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reveals that a low sugar diet can make foods taste sweeter, but does not change an individual's preferred level of sweetness. Despite the difference in sweetness ratings, participants on a reduced sugar diet did not alter their preference for sucrose content.
Researchers found that a bitter taste receptor and genetic variations can predict surgical outcomes in certain CRS patients. Patients with the sensitive PAV variant tend to have better post-surgical improvement and may benefit from more aggressive approaches.
New research reveals cats have at least seven functional bitter taste receptors, despite not consuming plants in their diet. The study questions the common hypothesis that bitter taste evolved to protect animals from ingesting poisonous plant compounds.
A twin study found that genetic factors account for approximately 30 percent of person-to-person variance in sweet taste perception. The study also revealed a shared pathway between the perception of natural sugars and high-potency sugar substitutes.
Research from Monell Center reveals that tumor necrosis factor (TNF) helps regulate sensitivity to bitter taste. In normal mice, TNF makes foods taste more bitter during illness due to increased sensitivity. This finding may explain the decreased food intake associated with infections and chronic inflammatory diseases.
Researchers at Monell Center are developing a clinical tool to predict the role of nasal airflow obstruction in smell loss, which affects an estimated 30 million Americans annually. The new methodology may help surgeons identify responsible blockages and improve treatment outcomes for patients undergoing surgery to restore smell.
New research from the Monell Center reveals that believing an odor is harmful can lead to increased airway inflammation in asthmatics. Airway inflammation remained elevated 24 hours later, making asthmatics more sensitive to other triggers.
Researchers have localized stress-activated hormone receptors in oral taste cells responsible for detection of sweet, umami, and bitter. The findings suggest that stress hormones may directly affect how these cells respond to sugars and certain other taste stimuli.
New research from the Monell Chemical Senses Center reveals that pleasant odors enhance women's facial attractiveness, while odor pleasantness has a mixed effect on age perception. The study found that visual age cues influence judgments of facial age, and unpleasant odors weaken this effect.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center and USDA found that immunization alters urine odor in similar ways, while immune-activated responses produce qualitatively different odors. This discovery suggests a pathway between immune activation and changes in body odor compounds, potentially enabling non-invasive disease detection.
Researchers found that giant pandas possess functional sweet taste receptors and show a strong preference for natural sweeteners. The study used behavioral and molecular genetic studies to investigate the giant panda's taste preferences and diet selection.
A study by the Monell Chemical Senses Center found that children who prefer sweet tastes also prefer salty tastes, and that these preferences relate to measures of growth and development. The research highlights the importance of understanding the biology behind children's food preferences to promote healthy eating habits.
Scientists have identified odor-producing chemicals in earwax that differ between individuals of East Asian origin and Caucasians. The study found a unique chemical signature associated with each ethnic group, suggesting that earwax could be an overlooked source of personal information.
Researchers at Monell Center found humans can differentiate levels of dietary fat in food using the sense of smell. Innovative methods could make low-fat foods more palatable and aid in reducing excessive fat consumption.
A new study by the Monell Center found that humans have a unique array of olfactory receptors, which encode both intensity and quality of odors. The researchers discovered considerable variation within the genes for discrete receptors, with approximately 140 receptors differing in response to odor molecules between any two individuals.
Scientists at the Monell Chemical Senses Center and USDA have discovered that avian influenza virus can be detected based on odor changes in infected birds. The study identified specific chemical compounds associated with the odor changes, which may also serve as potential biomarkers for diagnosing gastrointestinal diseases in humans.
Researchers found that messenger RNA expression affects bitter taste sensitivity in individuals with the same genetic makeup. The study discovered a direct relationship between mRNA expression and bitterness ratings of broccoli juice.
Research from Monell Center reveals that carbonation's bite comes from the conversion of free carbon dioxide into carbonic acid in the mouth. Bubbles enhance this sensation through stimulation of the sense of touch.
A new review highlights recent advances in the scientific understanding of bitter taste to improve drug acceptance and compliance in pediatric populations. The paper focuses on applying this knowledge to formulate pediatric medications that are more palatable for children.
Researchers found that inactivating taste genes TAS1R3 and GNAT3 caused male sterility in mice, leading to malformed and fewer sperm. The study suggests that certain compounds, such as fibrates, could be negatively impacting human fertility.
Researchers have identified a unique odor signature associated with melanoma cells, which can be used to detect the deadliest form of skin cancer. A nanotechnology-based sensor also demonstrated reliable differentiation between melanoma cells and normal skin cells.
Researchers at Monell Center have identified a critical protein, Ggamma13, essential for mammalian odor detection. Mice lacking this protein were functionally anosmic, highlighting its role in smell disorders in humans.
Peihua Jiang, a molecular neurobiologist at Monell Chemical Senses Center, has been awarded the Ajinomoto Award for his groundbreaking work on taste stem cells. His research has identified previously elusive adult taste stem cells and implications for patients with loss of taste function.
Researchers discovered that CALHM1 channel plays a key role in transmitting signals from Type II taste cells to the brain. Mice lacking this gene have difficulty detecting sweet and bitter tastes, highlighting its importance for our sense of taste.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center have identified progenitor cells in taste tissue that can differentiate into functional taste cells, potentially helping treat clinical taste dysfunction. The discovery opens up new areas for studying taste cell renewal and contributes to stem cell biology.
Children exposed to secondhand smoke have a less sensitive cough reflex, making them more susceptible to environmental threats and increasing the risk of developing respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis. The study's findings highlight a previously unrecognized public health risk from exposure to secondhand smoke.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center discover that adding sweetness to a solution can suppress coughing, while menthol reduces the cough reflex by numbing sensory nerves. These findings have implications for understanding how popular remedies work and may inform strategies for managing cough symptoms.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center found that humans can identify age based on differences in body odor, with elderly individuals' odors being recognized across cultures. Evaluators rated body odors from the old-age group as less intense and less unpleasant than those from middle-aged and young individuals.
A study published in the Journal of Nutrition found that genetically-determined differences in salivary amylase activity influence blood glucose levels after starch consumption. Individuals with high salivary amylase activity tend to have lower blood glucose levels and may be better adapted to eat starch-rich foods.
Seven mammalian species have lost the sense of sweet taste, including strict carnivores like cats and sea lions, due to defects in their sweet taste receptors. This finding suggests that dietary specialization can lead to evolutionary trade-offs in sensory perception.
Ichiro Matsumoto, a molecular biologist at Monell Center, has received the 2012 Ajinomoto Award for his significant contributions to understanding taste bud organization and differentiation in various vertebrate species. His research has also examined taste receptors, neural pathways, and clinical taste dysfunction.
Researchers found that infants who ate starchy table foods with added salt preferred salty taste at 6 months, consuming 55% more salt. At preschool age, these children were more likely to consume plain salt, demonstrating the enduring influence of early dietary exposure.
The Monell Center has received a $2 million NIH Core grant to enhance technological and research services. The funding will support three Research Cores providing specialized expert services, equipment, and training in chemical senses research techniques.
Researchers found that nasal congestion is linked to sensory feedback from airflow, affecting temperature and humidity. Studies suggest using optimal conditions to restore nasal airflow may help alleviate congestion.
Researchers at Monell Chemical Senses Center discover a protein called Serca3 that terminates bitter taste signals by removing calcium from taste cells. This finding may help explain why some people are supersensitive to certain tastes and could lead to the development of medicines to minimize unpleasant side effects.
Scientists from Monell Center and Integral Molecular have discovered a compound that inhibits bitterness by acting directly on a subset of bitter taste receptors, opening doors to better nutrition and therapeutic compliance. The discovery of probenecid as a bitter blocker may lead to the development of novel and more effective blockers.
A new study from Monell Center reveals that bitter taste can cause people to report nausea and display stomach activity similar to actual nausea. The body anticipates the consequences of food we eat, responding to toxic tastes with a protective mechanism.
Researchers at the Monell Chemical Senses Center have successfully maintained human taste cells in culture for seven months, providing a valuable tool for understanding the sense of taste. The breakthrough enables scientists to test drugs to promote recovery from taste loss due to infection, radiation, or chemotherapy.
A new study reveals that taste cells have several additional sugar detectors beyond the previously known sweet receptor, indicating a complex mechanism for detecting sugars. The presence of these sensors may help regulate sensitivity to sweet taste under different nutritional conditions.
Researchers identify TRPA1 receptor as the culprit behind olive oil's unique sensory irritation and cough sensation. The receptor is also activated by ibuprofen, an over-the-counter NSAID, revealing a potential mechanism for the anti-inflammatory compound's action.
Infant formula type affects weight gain rates, with protein hydrolysate formulas influencing slower growth compared to cow's milk-based formulas. Protein hydrolysate infants exhibit similar growth patterns to breast-fed infants, suggesting potential benefits for infant health.