Via small openings in the tongue epithelium, called taste pores, parts of the food dissolved in saliva come into contact with the taste receptors. These are located on top of the taste receptor cells that constitute the taste buds. The taste receptor cells send information detected by clusters of various receptors and ion channels to the gustatory areas of the brain via the seventh, ninth and tenth cranial nerves. On average, the human tongue has 2,000â8,000 taste buds.
Harm reduction is a technique used to treat drug addiction that focuses on preventing harm to addicts before preventing use of drugs or alcohol.
Addictions. Addiction is a condition in which the body must have a drug to avoid physical and psychological withdrawal symptoms. Addictionâs first stage is dependence, during which the search for a drug dominates an individualâs life. An addict eventually develops tolerance, which forces the person to consume larger and larger doses of the drug to get the same effect. Adapted from the Encyclopedia of Psychology.