Scientists Map the Mouse Taste Cortex, Pinpointing Brain Regions That Detect Certain Flavors
Mouse Taste Cortex According to a new study, the mouse brain contains neural clusters that can identify bitter (red), salty (orange), umami (yellow), and sweet (green) taste in the mouse gustatory cortex. The researchers are not sure why they couldn't pinpoint sour. Courtesy Charles Zuker For all our knowledge about how the brain processes sight, sound, smell and touch, very little is understood about taste. Researchers have been unsure whether specific brain cell groups are devoted to the five main taste groups, just like there are specific, finely tuned taste receptors on your tongue. Researchers from Columbia University now say they've identified these neuron groups, and have built a map of the "gustatory cortex." It's the first map showing how taste is represented in the mammalian brain. A team led by neuroscientist Charles Zuker used a technique called two-photon calcium imaging to monitor neural activity that was sparked by "tastants," as...