Work

Stimulus temperature modulates the psychophysical dimensions of salt taste

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Despite being a fundamental parameter of gustatory experience, how temperature shapes taste perception remains poorly understood. Using a multifaceted behavioral approach in mice, we found that water deprivation confounds temperature-driven motivational responses. In contrast, warm temperatures both lowered detection thresholds for NaCl and KCl and impaired discrimination between the two salts, revealing that temperature modulates the perceptual similarity between sodium and nonsodium salts with implications for taste neuroscience and sodium reduction strategies.

Source: American Journal of Physiology-Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology

DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.00170.2026

Authors: Mariela E. Marques, Alan C. Spector, Roberto Vincis

Institution: Florida State University

Language: English

Topic: Biochemical Analysis and Sensing Techniques

Subfield: Nutrition and Dietetics

Field: Nursing

Domain: Health Sciences

Open Access status: hybrid

Funders: National Institutes of Health, National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders

Awards: G391824006, Investigating How Temperature Shapes Salt Perception., Chemosensory Training Program (CTP)