Gustatory reaction time to various salt solutions in human adults.

Reaction times and perceived intensities to various concentrations of 12 salt solutions were measured in 53 human adults. The reaction time (T) decreased and the perceived intensity (S) increased with increasing concentration (C) of each salt applied to the anterior dorsal tongue. The relationships between T and S, T and logS, T and C, and T and logC are well described by experimental formulae of rectangular hyperbola for all the 12 salt solutions. Effects of cross-adaptation with 0.1 M NaCl on the reaction times to various salt solutions were also examined. Changes of the perceived intensity of salt solutions were calculated based on the formulae using the amount of increase or decrease in reaction times after the cross-adaptation. The theorectical values thus obtained were highly significantly correlated with the psychophysical values reported by previous workers.