Relationship between Salivary Secretion and Body Fluid Balance

Abstract

Sweating in exercise causes a loss of the body fluid and an increase of the plasma osmolality. Then we feel thirst. In general, people understand from their own experience that salivary secretion may decrease under such conditions. However, there is little evidence to show how the hyperosmosis induces a decreased salivary secretion. In this review, we clarify the control mechanism of salivary secretion by osmotic stimulation on the basis of our recent studies.