Subjective touch sensitivity leads to behavioral shifts in oral food texture sensitivity and awareness

Neurotypical individuals have subjective sensitivity differences that may overlap with more heavily studied clinical populations. However, it is not known whether these subjective differences in sensory sensitivity are modality specific, or lead to behavioral shifts. In our experiment, we measured the oral touch sensitivity and food texture awareness differences in two neurotypical groups having either a high or low subjective sensitivity in touch modality. To measure oral touch sensitivity, individuals performed discrimination tasks across three types of stimuli (liquid, semisolid, and solid). Next, they performed two sorting exercises for two texture-centric food products: cookies and crackers. The stimuli that required low oral processing (liquid) were discriminated at higher rates by participants with high subjective sensitivity. Additionally, discrimination strategies between several foods in the same product space were different across the groups, and each group used attributes other than food texture as differentiating characteristics. The results show subjective touch sensitivity influences behavior (sensitivity and awareness). However, we show that the relationship between subjective touch sensitivity and behavior generalizes beyond just touch to other sensory modalities.

Subjective Touch Sensitivity Leads to Behavioral Shifts in Food Texture Sensitivity and Awareness

Neurotypical individuals have subjective sensitivity differences that may overlap with the more heavily studied clinical populations. However, it is not known whether these subjective differences in sensory sensitivity are modality specific or lead to behavioral shifts. In our experiment, we measured the touch sensitivity and texture awareness differences in two neurotypical groups having either a high or low subjective sensitivity in touch modality. To measure touch sensitivity, individuals performed discrimination tasks across three types of stimuli (liquid, semi-solid, and solid). Next, they performed two sorting exercises for two texture-centric food products: cookies and crackers. The stimuli that required low oral processing (liquid) were discriminated at higher rates by the high subjective sensitivity compared to the solid stimuli. Additionally, discrimination strategies between several foods in the same product space were different across the groups, and each group used attributes other than texture as differentiating characteristics. The results show subjective touch sensitivity influences behavior (sensitivity and awareness). However, we show that the relationship between subjective touch sensitivity and behavior generalizes across several modalities.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa Type IV Pilus Expression in Neisseria gonorrhoeae: Effects of Pilin Subunit Composition on Function and Organelle Dynamics

ABSTRACT Type IV pili (TFP) play central roles in the expression of many phenotypes including motility, multicellular behavior, sensitivity to bacteriophages, natural genetic transformation, and adherence. In Neisseria gonorrhoeae, these properties require ancillary proteins that act in conjunction with TFP expression and influence organelle dynamics. Here, the intrinsic contributions of the pilin protein itself to TFP dynamics and associated phenotypes were examined by expressing the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PilAPAK pilin subunit in N. gonorrhoeae. We show here that, although PilAPAK pilin can be readily assembled into TFP in this background, steady-state levels of purifiable fibers are dramatically reduced relative those of endogenous pili. This defect is due to aberrant TFP dynamics as it is suppressed in the absence of the PilT pilus retraction ATPase. Functionally, PilAPAK pilin complements gonococcal adherence for human epithelial cells but only in a pilT background, and this property remains dependent on the coexpression of both the PilC adhesin and the PilV pilin-like protein. Since P. aeruginosa pilin only moderately supports neisserial sequence-specific transformation despite its assembly proficiency, these results together suggest that PilAPAK pilin functions suboptimally in this environment. This appears to be due to diminished compatibility with resident proteins essential for TFP function and dynamics. Despite this, PilAPAK pili support retractile force generation in this background equivalent to that reported for endogenous pili. Furthermore, PilAPAK pili are both necessary and sufficient for bacteriophage PO4 binding, although the strain remains phage resistant. Together, these findings have significant implications for TFP biology in both N. gonorrhoeae and P. aeruginosa.