How our tongues sense food
The fungiform papilla as a multi-sensory end-organ
This work explores how our tongues combine taste, smell, and touch to create the full experience of eating food.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Louisville NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Louisville, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11124903 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
When we eat, our mouths experience a mix of sensations, including taste, smell, and touch, which all come together to help us recognize and enjoy our food. This project focuses on the very first steps of 'mouth feel,' specifically how touch-sensing nerves in the tongue work. Researchers want to understand the unique features of these nerve cells and how they work with taste and temperature sensors to give us our full food perception. This foundational understanding could help us better understand how our senses contribute to our eating experience.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: This foundational work is not directly recruiting patients, but it is relevant to anyone interested in how our senses contribute to the experience of eating.
Not a fit: Patients seeking immediate new treatments or therapies for specific conditions may not see direct benefit from this basic science research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a deeper understanding of how we perceive food, potentially helping people with conditions that affect taste or mouthfeel.
How similar studies have performed: While similar nerve cell types have been defined in skin, this approach is novel in specifically examining these specialized touch neurons within the tongue's taste papillae.
Where this research is happening
Louisville, United States
- University of Louisville — Louisville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krimm, Robin Frances — University of Louisville
- Study coordinator: Krimm, Robin Frances
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.