The Cephalic Phase of Digestion

Concept Covered:
The nervous system initiates the digestive system because of external stimuli such
as sight, smell and taste.
Grade Level: 11-12
Standards Covered:

HS-LS1-2: Develop and use a model to illustrate the hierarchical organization of

interacting systems that provide specific functions within multicellular organisms.
Learning Objectives:

SWBAT: explain the role of the nervous system in digestion.

Materials:
For each student
Plastic Cup
Hot Tamale candy
Cherry sour candy
A couple gummy bears
Piece of PTC paper
Preparation:
Put candies in the plastic up. Prepare enough for each student
Procedure:
Hook:
o As students come to class hand them the cup of candy but tell them not to
eat it.
o Review the subjects that have been covered and where we are headed.
Procedure
1. Notes on the cephalic phase of digestion. Follow the outline of notes for
the students:
I. What is cephalic phase?

First phase of digestion

Cerebral Cortex Amygdala (emotions)/hypothalamus ( produce hormones)
Vagus Nerve (CNX) Stomach secrete gastric juices
o Increase HCl into stomach
In response to smell, sight, taste, etc.
Conditioned response increased sensory activity in response to food
Video

o POMC neurons in hypothalamus

II. The tongue
NOT A PART OF GI SYSTEM
Taste buds Papillae
o 3 types
fungiform
Folliate
Circumvallate
o Palate also has taste buds
o INN
CNVII (ant 2/3) facial
CNIX (posterior 1/3) glossopharyngeal
CN X (base/palate) vagus
o Individual taste pore
About 100 cells
Replaced every 2 weeks
Only some are innervated

III. Gustation: Sense of taste

What are the tastes?

o Sweet
o Sour
o Salty
o Bitter
o Umami
Taste of glutamate (an AA)
Meaty
Tastant chemical that stimulates taste
Specific taste cells
Type III
o Bitter/sweet/umami
o Chemical receptors
o Different variations
o Subtypes depending on what kind of tastant
o ATP as NT
Type II sour
o Respond to H+
o Serotonin as the neurotransmitter
Type 1 salty
o Respond to Na+

o No nerve contact
We arent really sure how this works
Why are spicy things warm?
o TRPV1 channels
Respond to capsaicin (spicy) and heatyour brain doesnt know
which is which.
2. Ask students if the know the difference between taste and flavor.
3. Exploration of Bitter: Ask students to taste the PTC paper.
a. Count the number of students who can and cannot taste it.
4. Exploration of Sweet: Tell students to plug their nose while chewing on a
gummy bear. After a few seconds tell the students to unplug their noses
and finish eating the candy.
a. Ask students to share what they experienced.
b. Students should have noticed that they could tell the candy was
sweet when the nose was plugged and could tell the flavor of the
candy when the nose was unplugged.
5. Exploration of Sour: Tell students to plug their nose while chewing on a
cherry sour. After a few seconds tell the students to unplug their noses and
finish eating the candy.
a. Ask students to share what they experienced.
b. Students should have noticed that they could tell the candy was
sweet and sour when the nose was plugged and could tell the candy
was cherry when the nose was unplugged.
Closure:
o Ask students to summarize the difference between taste and flavor.
o Tell students where we are heading next.

Differentiation:

Provide notes for students who qualify

Allow time for students to ask extension questions.

Anticipated misconceptions:

Spicy is a taste.
The cephalic phase only affect salivation.

Assessment:
Questioning during lecture
Homework
o Read the article called The Science of Appetite and draw out your own
flow chart regarding the hormonal and neurotransmitter aspects of hunger
and appetite.