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Perirhinal cortex supports both taste neophobia and its attenuation.
1Department of Psychobiology, University of Granada, Granada 18071, Granada, Spain; Mind, Brain and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada 18071, Spain.
Neurobiology of Learning and Memory
|June 7, 2020
Summary
Rats avoid new tastes due to unknown effects. The perirhinal cortex (Prh) is crucial for taste neophobia and learning to overcome this aversion.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Behavioral Neuroscience
- Sensory Science
Background:
- Rats exhibit neophobia towards novel tastes, a survival mechanism linked to uncertain postingestive outcomes.
- The perirhinal cortex (Prh) is a critical brain region involved in recognition memory and learning.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of the perirhinal cortex (Prh) in taste neophobia and its attenuation in rats.
- To determine if Prh lesions affect taste perception or associative learning.
Main Methods:
- Excitotoxic lesions of the Prh were induced in rats.
- A two-bottle choice paradigm assessed neophobia to varying saccharin concentrations.
- Flavor-preference learning was evaluated using flavor-taste associations.
- Temporary Prh inactivation was achieved using lidocaine.
Main Results:
- Prh lesions disrupted neophobia to moderate saccharin concentrations (0.3%, 0.5%) but not to an aversive concentration (0.7%).
- Lesioned rats successfully acquired flavor preference based on taste association, indicating intact associative learning.
- Temporary Prh inactivation delayed the attenuation of neophobia.
Conclusions:
- The perirhinal cortex (Prh) is essential for taste neophobia and the process of overcoming this aversion.
- Prh function is critical for neophobic responses and habituation to novel tastes, rather than basic taste perception or associative learning.
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