Hornung D E, Enns M P
Department of Biology, St. Lawrence University, Canton, New York 13617.
Ann N Y Acad Sci. 1987;510:86-90. doi: 10.1111/j.1749-6632.1987.tb43471.x.
A solution with both an odor and a taste may be considered to be a mixture that involves two sensory modalities. Estimates of the intensity of such mixtures appear to be additive. If the overall intensity of each of the unmixed components is compared with the overall intensity of the mixture, the additivity approaches 100%. If the intensities of the smell and taste of the unmixed components are compared with the overall intensity of the mixture, the additivity is less than 100%. Thus, the specific question that is given to the subjects influences the magnitude of the estimations. This suggests that the additive process involves a central (cognitive) mechanism. Considering that the perception of complex flavors also involves sensory information of touch, temperature, and possibly vision and hearing, a central interpretation seems appropriate. The influences of smell on the perception of taste also appear to involve a cognitive mechanism. These smell-taste confusions appear to be stimulus specific and are usually resolved in favor of taste. This may be true because the sensations of pressure, movement, and resistance are usually localized in the mouth. These accompanying sensations then suggest that the taste organs are active in determining the result even when no true taste is present. The influences of taste on the perception of smell are most pronounced when the tastant contains an odor. This suggests that the effect may be peripheral. That is, odorant molecules may be moving from the pharynx, through the posterior nares, to the olfactory receptors. If this interpretation is correct, the influences of taste on smell may be an odor-odor mixture involving "retronasal" and "nasal" olfaction.
一种既有气味又有味道的溶液可被视为一种涉及两种感官模式的混合物。此类混合物强度的估计值似乎是可加性的。如果将每种未混合成分的总体强度与混合物的总体强度进行比较，可加性接近100%。如果将未混合成分的气味和味道强度与混合物的总体强度进行比较，可加性则小于100%。因此，向受试者提出的具体问题会影响估计值的大小。这表明相加过程涉及一种中枢（认知）机制。考虑到复杂味道的感知还涉及触觉、温度以及可能的视觉和听觉等感官信息，中枢解释似乎是恰当的。气味对味觉感知的影响似乎也涉及一种认知机制。这些气味 - 味道混淆似乎具有刺激特异性，并且通常偏向于味觉得到解决。这可能是因为压力、运动和阻力的感觉通常定位在口腔中。这些伴随的感觉进而表明，即使没有真正的味道，味觉器官在确定结果时也起着作用。当味觉剂含有气味时，味觉对嗅觉感知的影响最为明显。这表明这种影响可能是外周性的。也就是说，气味分子可能从咽部通过后鼻孔移动到嗅觉感受器。如果这种解释正确，那么味觉对嗅觉的影响可能是一种涉及“鼻后”和“鼻腔”嗅觉的气味 - 气味混合物。
