Abstract
Galvanic tongue stimulation (GTS) modulates taste sensation. However, the effect of GTS is contingent on the electrode polarity in the proximity of the tongue. If an anodal electrode is attached in the proximity of the tongue, an electrical or metallic taste is elicited. On the other hand, if only cathodal electrode is attached in the proximity of the tongue, the salty taste, which is induced by electrolyte materials, is inhibited. The mechanism of this taste inhibition is not adequately understood. In this study, we aim to demonstrate that the inhibition is cause by ions, which elicit taste and which migrate from the taste sensors on the tongue by GTS. We verified the inhibitory effect of GTS on all five basic tastes induced by electrolyte materials. This technology is effective for virtual reality systems and interfaces to support dietary restrictions. Our findings demonstrate that cathodal-GTS inhibits all the five basic tastes. The results also support our hypothesis that the effects of cathodal-GTS are caused by migrating tasting ions in the mouth.
Highlights
Galvanic tongue stimulation (GTS) induces an electric or metallic taste (Stevens et al, 2008)
The electrical taste induced by GTS is extraordinarily complex and it has been generally known as a method to induce electrical taste (Lawless et al, 2005)
Since there are no standard limitations for GTS, various stimulation strengths and durations were used in previous studies, e.g., up to approximately 55 mA but some studies described the voltage instead of the current strength (Aruga and Koike, 2015; Khan et al, 2016). transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a technique for modulating brain and neuronal excitability by stimulating the head electrically
Summary
Galvanic tongue stimulation (GTS) induces an electric or metallic taste (Stevens et al, 2008). This fact was first discovered by Sulzer in the 18th century. GTS is likely to be employed for virtual reality and health engineering purposes (Vazquez-Buenosaires et al, 2003; Aruga and Koike, 2015; Ranasinghe and Do, 2017). For such engineering applications, GTS should be able to preferably regulate all the five taste sensations, i.e., sweetness, bitterness, saltiness, sourness, and umami. On the contrary, Hettinger and Frank (2009) demonstrated that GTS inhibits the taste of salt solutions when the cathodal electrode alone is placed in the subject’s mouth
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