Gustatory cortex

The primary gustatory cortex (GC) is a brain structure responsible for the perception of taste. It consists of two substructures: the anterior insula on the insular lobe and the frontal operculum on the inferior frontal gyrus of the frontal lobe.[1] Because of its composition the primary gustatory cortex is sometimes referred to in literature as the AI/FO(Anterior Insula/Frontal Operculum).[2] By using extracellular unit recording techniques, scientists have elucidated that neurons in the AI/FO respond to sweetness, saltiness, bitterness, and sourness, and they code the intensity of the taste stimulus.[3]

  1. ^ Marieb EN, Katja H (2008). Anatomy & Physiology (Third ed.). Boston: Benjamin Cummings/Pearson. pp. 391–395. ISBN 978-0-8053-0094-9.
  2. ^ Pritchard TC, Macaluso DA, Eslinger PJ (August 1999). "Taste perception in patients with insular cortex lesions". Behavioral Neuroscience. 113 (4): 663–671. doi:10.1037/0735-7044.113.4.663. PMID 10495075.
  3. ^ Kobayashi M (2006). "Functional Organization of the Human Gustatory Cortex". Journal of Oral Biosciences. 48 (4): 244–260. doi:10.1016/S1349-0079(06)80007-1.