Official websites use .gov

A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS

A lock ( 🔒 ) or https:// means you've safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

Need Help

Thermal Influences on Salt Taste Sensitivity and Neural Processing

Award Number: R01DC023553
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2031

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Thermal Influences on Salt Taste Sensitivity and Neural Processing - Project Summary/Abstract The consumption of food and beverages is highly dependent on the initial sensation and the response it evokes. This sensation arises within the mouth and involves the integration of gustatory, olfactory (retronasal), and oral somatosensory cues into a single percept called ﬂavor. Over the years, research has extensively evaluated the behavioral and physiological correlates of one of these intra-oral sensory components – taste. Taste originates when chemical compounds stimulate specialized chemoreceptors within the oral cavity. Most of what is known about the neural and perceptual substrates of taste originates from studies in which stimuli are experienced at a single temperature. While this approach has shaped our understanding of the role of gustation, it provides only a partial picture of the functional features of the gustatory system. Under natural conditions, the chemicals present in food and beverages are rarely experienced at a single ﬁxed temperature. Temperature is a key signal that can inﬂuence the sensory attributes of food and the perceived intensity of taste qualities, which are relevant to food and beverage preferences and nutrition. Thus, based on the serving temperature, we might alter the amount of certain ingredients to match our preference, leading to over- or under- consumption of certain food elements. This is particularly relevant in the case of table salt (NaCl), which could result in a diet high in sodium. High sodium intake can cause serious health consequences, such as high blood pressure, stroke, and other cardiovascular problems, potentially increasing the risk of, or even causing, death. Therefore, the primary objective of this proposal is to explore the impact of temperature on salt taste perception and its neural processing in the cortex of behaving mice. The ﬁrst aim will employ electrophysiological techniques to investigate the inﬂuence of temperature on the cortical representation of the taste of salt, particularly with respect to its intensity and quality aspects. The second aim involves a behavioral study to determine how temperature affects the ability to distinguish the taste quality of NaCl and KCl. The third aim will use neural manipulation to evaluate the contribution of cortical activity within the gustatory cortex to temperature-dependent taste-evoked behavioral responses. This research is designed to lay a foundational understanding of how thermal and taste stimuli, commonly encountered in food and beverages, are integrated. Together, the results obtained from this proposal will expand current knowledge on thermogustation and provide a comprehensive behavioral and neural investigation of how temperature operates on sensory processes associated with taste.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2026 ( Subtotal = $369,413 )
2026	2026	FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY	874 TRADITIONS WAY	TALLAHASSEE	FL	32306	LEON	USA	Research Related to Deafness and Communication Disorders	000	1	8/17/2026	NEW	$369,413
														Subtotal = $369,413

Grand Total All Awards = $369,413

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Thermal Influences on Salt Taste Sensitivity and Neural Processing

Award Number: R01DC023553

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DEAFNESS AND OTHER COMMUNICATION DISORDERS

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2026

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2031

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer