Novel tastes elevate c-fos expression in the central amygdala and insular cortex: implication for taste aversion
Ming Teng Koh1, Emily E Wilkins, Ilene L Bernstein
1Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle 98195-1525, USA.
Behavioral Neuroscience
|December 17, 2003
Summary
Novel tastes enhance taste aversion learning by activating specific brain regions. This study used c-fos protein (Fos-like immunoreactivity [FLI]) to identify neural pathways critical for taste processing and plasticity.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Molecular Biology
- Behavioral Science
Background:
- Taste novelty significantly influences taste aversion learning speed and strength.
- Understanding the molecular signals responding to novel tastes is crucial for elucidating learning mechanisms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify molecular signals in the brain that are responsive to novel taste experiences.
- To investigate the role of c-fos protein expression in neural pathways associated with taste aversion learning.
Main Methods:
- Immunostaining for c-fos protein (Fos-like immunoreactivity [FLI]) was employed to visualize neuronal activity.
- Differential responses to novel versus familiar saccharin were assessed in various brain regions.
- The impact of learning parameters on FLI was examined.
Main Results:
- Novel saccharin induced significantly greater increases in FLI compared to familiar saccharin.
- This heightened FLI response was observed in the central amygdala and insular cortex.
- Manipulations that reduced aversion learning strength also blunted the FLI response.
Conclusions:
- FLI, a marker of neuronal activation, highlights neural pathways critical for taste processing during learning acquisition.
- c-fos expression is a key transcriptional event underlying the neural plasticity involved in taste aversion learning.
- Specific brain regions like the central amygdala and insular cortex are particularly responsive to taste novelty in this context.
Related Concept Videos
01:43Gustation
Gustation is a chemical sense that, along with olfaction (smell), contributes to our perception of taste. It starts with the activation of receptors by chemical compounds (tastants) dissolved in the saliva. The saliva and filiform papillae on the tongue distribute the tastants and increase their exposure to the taste receptors.
01:20Taste Buds and Receptors
Gustation, or the sense of taste, is intrinsically linked to the anatomical structures located on the tongue. This organ's surface, along with the entirety of the oral cavity, is adorned with stratified squamous epithelium. Evident on the tongue are elevated structures known as papillae (singular = papilla), which house the mechanisms for the transduction of gustatory stimuli. Four distinct types of papillae exist, each identified by their unique morphological attributes: the circumvallate,...
01:24The Physiology of Taste
The perception of a salty flavor is facilitated by sodium ions within the oral salivary fluid. Upon consumption of a salty substance, salt crystals disassemble, leading to the liberation of its constituents—Na+ and Cl- ions. These ions subsequently dissolve into the salivary fluid present in the oral cavity. The external environment of the gustatory cells experiences an elevation in Na+ concentration, thereby establishing a potent concentration gradient. This gradient propels the diffusion of...
01:14Conditioned Taste Aversion
Conditioned taste aversion, also known as sauce béarnaise syndrome, is a phenomenon in which an individual develops an aversion to a certain food taste following a negative experience, typically illness. This form of aversion is a type of classical conditioning in which the taste of the food (conditioned stimulus, CS) is associated with the experience of illness (unconditioned stimulus, UCS).
A notable characteristic of conditioned taste aversion is that it often requires only a single exposure...
A notable characteristic of conditioned taste aversion is that it often requires only a single exposure...