GUSTATORY NEURAL RESPONSES IN PREWEANLING MICE

Taste sensitivity of preweanling mice was studied by examining responses of the chorda tympani (CT) and glossopharyngeal (GL) nerves to various taste stimuli, and was compared to that of adult mice. In mice of 7-10 days of age, comparing to that of the CT nerve, threshold of the GL nerve for monosodium 1-glutamate (MSG) was low, but those for sucrose and NaCl were high. Sensitivities to HCl and quinine-HCl were similar between the CT and GL nerves, although that to quinine-HCl was larger in the GL nerve than in the CT nerve in adult mice. Enhancement of MSG responses by addition of GMP was observed in the CT nerve but not in the GL nerve in this age group. In mice of 8-16 weeks of age, threshold of the GL nerve for MSG became higher but that for NaCl became lower. Enhancement of MSG responses by addition of GMP appeared also in the GL nerve. Inhibition of NaCl responses by amiloride was observed in the CT nerve. These results suggest that, in mice, the GL nerve is important taste input for umami substances especially during the preweanling period, whereas the CT nerve is for sweet and salty substances. Properties of umami and salt receptor systems change during the postweanling period.