Presentation Details
| Functional Localization of the Primary Taste Cortex in the Anesthetized Macaque Monkey Renée Hartig1, Ali Karimi2, Henry Evrard3. 1Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, USA.2New York University, New York, NY, USA.3International Center for Primate Brain Research, Shanghai, China |
Abstract
The insular cortex is a recipient of direct thalamocortical inputs relaying sensory information from various bodily regions, including the oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract. This cortical region plays a pivotal role in regulating homeostasis related to feeding, digestion, and bodily functions. In this study, we utilized novel taste delivery systems to help pinpoint the primary taste area in both humans and macaques. Beginning with human psychophysical testing, followed by ultra-high field 7T fMRI in anesthetized macaques (n = 8), we evaluated tastant stimuli at varying concentrations. Our findings consistently revealed activation in specific regions of the macaque insula, particularly highlighting the mid-insula dorsal fundus (Idfm) and dorsal anterior insular cortex (dAIC), alongside an additional activation cluster in the ventral anterior insular cortex (vAIC). Through comparisons with human functional homologs and neuroimaging meta-analyses, we aimed to discern the existence of a common gustatory area. Our translational investigation suggests a degree of homology between primate species, underscoring a notable resemblance, between the macaque and human insula and surrounding opercula, in the localization of fMRI voxel-wise activity correlated with gustatory processing.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author.