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Central gustatory lesions: I. Preference and taste reactivity tests
F W Flynn1, H J Grill, G J Schwartz
1Department of Psychology, University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071.
Behavioral Neuroscience
|December 1, 1991
Summary
Lesioning specific brain regions in rats altered taste responses. While nucleus of the solitary tract (NST) lesions had minimal impact, parabrachial nucleus (PBN) and ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPMpc) lesions affected intake and aversion to various tastes.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Gustatory System Research
- Animal Models in Taste Perception
Background:
- The brain's processing of taste is complex, involving multiple nuclei.
- Understanding the roles of the nucleus of the solitary tract (NST), parabrachial nucleus (PBN), and ventral posteromedial thalamic nucleus (VPMpc) is crucial for deciphering taste perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the specific roles of the NST, PBN, and VPMpc in taste intake and reactivity.
- To determine how lesions in these nuclei affect responses to sweet, salty, sour, and bitter stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Electrophysiologically guided bilateral lesions were created in the NST, PBN, and VPMpc of rats.
- Rats underwent 15-minute intake tests and taste reactivity (TR) assessments.
- Stimuli included three concentrations each of sucrose, NaCl, HCl, and quinine HCl.
Main Results:
- NST lesions did not significantly alter intake.
- PBN lesions led to increased consumption of QHCl, sucrose, NaCl, and HCl.
- VPMpc lesions reduced sucrose intake.
- Lesions in VPMpc, PBN, and NST increased the quinine HCl threshold for aversion.
- NST and PBN lesions resulted in unresponsiveness to increasing sucrose concentrations.
Conclusions:
- The PBN and VPMpc play significant roles in regulating taste intake and aversion.
- The NST appears less critical for overall intake but contributes to aversion thresholds.
- These findings highlight the distinct contributions of these brain nuclei to complex taste behaviors.