Three types of tastants are known as perceptually associated
with
umami taste: monosodium glutamate (MSG), disodium succinate (WSA),
and disodium inosine monophosphate (IMP). While these tastants were
confirmed to be perceptually similar in a sensory study, they could
be discriminated (p < 0.05) by electroencephalogram
(EEG) analysis on a time scale of 5–6 s. In comparison of the
EEG responses of the participants, the brain could partly distinguish
(p < 0.05) between different sensory intensities
of MSG, WSA, or IMP. The EEG data indicated that the brain is partially
sensitive to perceiving different sensory intensities (L, low; M,
medium; and H, high) of the same umami stimuli; i.e., for MSG in μV2/Hz, L, 2.473 ± 0.181; M, 3.274 ± 0.181; and H,
3.202 ± 0.181. However, brain responses of perceptually equi-umami
intensities could partially be discriminated, suggesting that the
brain could partially discriminate (p < 0.05)
MSG, WSA, and IMP, despite similar sensory intensities. Moreover,
umami tastants were also found to significantly enhance (p < 0.05) the α wave activity, with the most responsive being
at 10 Hz, particularly in the frontal and parietal and occipital regions
of the brain (p < 0.001). This study shows the
potential of EEG to investigate brain activity triggered by umami
stimuli.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.