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Taste-related activity in the human dorsolateral prefrontal cortex
Morten L Kringelbach1, Ivan E T de Araujo, Edmund T Rolls
1Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Oxford, and FMRIB, Oxford Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, John Radcliffe Hospital, UK.
Neuroimage
|February 26, 2004
Summary
This study explored cortical taste responses using neuroimaging. A novel finding revealed taste activates the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, potentially influencing cognitive processing and attention.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Sensory Perception
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- The human sense of taste is not fully understood.
- Cortical taste processing is primarily studied in primates.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate cortical taste responses in humans.
- Identify brain regions activated by taste stimuli.
- Explore the novel involvement of the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in taste perception.
Main Methods:
- Neuroimaging techniques were employed.
- Forty human subjects participated.
- Various taste stimuli were administered and compared to a tasteless control.
Main Results:
- Established taste cortical areas, including the anterior insula/frontal operculum and caudal orbitofrontal cortex, showed activation.
- A significant novel activation was observed in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in response to taste.
Conclusions:
- The dorsolateral prefrontal cortex's activation suggests a role in taste-related cognitive functions.
- Taste may influence executive control, behavioral strategies, and attentional processing.