This review briefly summarizes the main anatomical and fonctional organizat
ion of the chemical senses involved in the control of the food intake, the
gustary and the olfactory systems. Both systems cooperate for the complexe
sensation commonly named "taste". For both systems the histological structu
re of the peripheral receptors was briefly presented, as well as the main n
eural pathways in the central nervous system. We also briefly presented the
transduction process of the sensorial informations according to the theori
es of the "computerized model" or the model of "dedicaced lines".