Central Taste Anatomy and Physiology of Rodents and Primates

Pritchard, Thomas C.; Lorenzo, Patricia M. Di

doi:10.1002/9781118971758.ch32

Cited by 5 publications

(4 citation statements)

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“…Primate taste processing involves neural computations in a widespread network, including the insula (primary gustatory area) and the orbitofrontal cortex (secondary gustatory area) (Pritchard and Di Lorenzo, 2015), which further link to subcortical structures regulating reward and feeding behavior (Katz and Sadacca, 2011), as well as somatosensory and visceral areas (Katz et al, 2002).…”

Section: The Emergence Of Taste-evoked Delta Activity Is Predictive Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Delta activity encodes taste information in the human brain

2018

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The categorization of food via sensing nutrients or toxins is crucial to the survival of any organism. On ingestion, rapid responses within the gustatory system are required to identify the oral stimulus to guide immediate behavior (swallowing or expulsion). The way in which the human brain accomplishes this task has so far remained unclear. Using multivariate analysis of 64-channel scalp EEG recordings obtained from 16 volunteers during tasting salty, sweet, sour, or bitter solutions, we found that activity in the delta-frequency range (1-4 Hz; delta power and phase) has information about taste identity in the human brain, with discriminable response patterns at the single-trial level within 130 ms of tasting. Importantly, the latencies of these response patterns predicted the point in time at which participants indicated detection of a taste by pressing a button. Furthermore, taste pattern discrimination was independent of motor-related activation and encoded taste identity rather than other taste features such as intensity and valence. On comparison with our previous findings from a delayed taste-discrimination task (Crouzet et al., 2015), taste-specific neural representations emerged earlier during this speeded taste-detection task, suggesting a goal-dependent flexibility in gustatory response coding. Together, these findings provide the first evidence of a role of delta activity in taste-information coding in humans. Crucially, these neuronal response patterns can be linked to the speed of simple gustatory perceptual decisions - a vital performance index of nutrient sensing.

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Section: The Emergence Of Taste-evoked Delta Activity Is Predictive Omentioning

confidence: 99%

Delta activity encodes taste information in the human brain

2018

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“…In contrast, the taste neurons of the primate NTS do not project to the PBN; there are also no axonal connections between the waist PBN and the taste region of the thalamus (Pritchard et al, 2000). Side-by-side comparisons of rodent and primate gustatory systems often downplay the anatomical differences and rely on the similarities of the behavioral measures that are attributed to the thalamus or amygdala function (Pritchard & Di Lorenzo, 2015). The current study provides novel anatomical evidence to underscore crucial differences between primate-like species and the rats regarding the role of their thalamus in cortical function, and it suggests caution for generalizing findings of rodent taste thalamus function to those in non-human primates and humans.…”

Section: Differences and Similarities Between Tree Shrew Vpmp And Rat Vpmpcmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the study done by Holtz et al, the synaptic circuitry differences between rodent taste thalamus and other, nonchemical nuclei are attributed to potential differences in how taste information is coded through thalamocortical pathways. However, an alternative interpretation may deserve further exploration: Synaptic circuitry in the rodent VPMpc may be a downstream adaptation of other fundamental pathway differences that exist in rodents in comparison to primates (Beckstead et al, 1980; Benjamin & Burton, 1968; Pritchard et al, 1989; reviewed in the study by Pritchard & Di Lorenzo, 2015).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Immunocytochemical and ultrastructural organization of the taste thalamus of the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri)

et al. 2021

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Ventroposterior medialis parvocellularis (VPMP) nucleus of the primate thalamus receives direct input from the nucleus of the solitary tract, whereas the homologous thalamic structure in the rodent does not. To reveal whether the synaptic circuitries in these nuclei lend evidence for conservation of design principles in the taste thalamus across species or across sensory thalamus in general, we characterized the ultrastructural and molecular properties of the VPMP in a close relative of primates, the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri), and compared these to known properties of the taste thalamus in rodent, and the visual thalamus in mammals. Electron microscopy analysis to categorize the synaptic inputs in the VPMP revealed that the largest‐size terminals contained many vesicles and formed large synaptic zones with thick postsynaptic density on multiple, medium‐caliber dendrite segments. Some formed triads within glomerular arrangements. Smaller‐sized terminals contained dark mitochondria; most formed a single asymmetric or symmetric synapse on small‐diameter dendrites. Immuno‐EM experiments revealed that the large‐size terminals contained VGLUT2, whereas the small‐size terminal populations contained VGLUT1 or ChAT. These findings provide evidence that the morphological and molecular characteristics of synaptic circuitry in the tree shrew VPMP are similar to that in nonchemical sensory thalamic nuclei. Furthermore, the results indicate that all primary sensory nuclei of the thalamus in higher mammals share a structural template for processing thalamocortical sensory information. In contrast, substantial morphological and molecular differences in rodent versus tree shrew taste nuclei suggest a fundamental divergence in cellular processing mechanisms of taste input in these two species.

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“…While all three nerves respond to salt, the chorda tympani is most responsive and critical for normal salt taste function [ 32 , 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 ]. The central neural circuitry that is involved in the sensation and perception of salt taste has been reviewed elsewhere [ 39 , 40 , 41 ] and share many points of overlap with those mediating sodium appetite and cardiovascular homeostasis (discussed below) ( Figure 1 ).…”

Section: The Drive To Consume Sodium and Salt Tastementioning

confidence: 99%

Sodium Intake and Disease: Another Relationship to Consider

et al. 2023

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Sodium (Na+) is crucial for numerous homeostatic processes in the body and, consequentially, its levels are tightly regulated by multiple organ systems. Sodium is acquired from the diet, commonly in the form of NaCl (table salt), and substances that contain sodium taste salty and are innately palatable at concentrations that are advantageous to physiological homeostasis. The importance of sodium homeostasis is reflected by sodium appetite, an “all-hands-on-deck” response involving the brain, multiple peripheral organ systems, and endocrine factors, to increase sodium intake and replenish sodium levels in times of depletion. Visceral sensory information and endocrine signals are integrated by the brain to regulate sodium intake. Dysregulation of the systems involved can lead to sodium overconsumption, which numerous studies have considered causal for the development of diseases, such as hypertension. The purpose here is to consider the inverse—how disease impacts sodium intake, with a focus on stress-related and cardiometabolic diseases. Our proposition is that such diseases contribute to an increase in sodium intake, potentially eliciting a vicious cycle toward disease exacerbation. First, we describe the mechanism(s) that regulate each of these processes independently. Then, we highlight the points of overlap and integration of these processes. We propose that the analogous neural circuitry involved in regulating sodium intake and blood pressure, at least in part, underlies the reciprocal relationship between neural control of these functions. Finally, we conclude with a discussion on how stress-related and cardiometabolic diseases influence these circuitries to alter the consumption of sodium.

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Central Taste Anatomy and Physiology of Rodents and Primates

Cited by 5 publications

References 251 publications

Delta activity encodes taste information in the human brain

Delta activity encodes taste information in the human brain

Immunocytochemical and ultrastructural organization of the taste thalamus of the tree shrew (Tupaia belangeri)

Sodium Intake and Disease: Another Relationship to Consider

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