Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study
<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Gustatory stimuli are primarily processed in the insula, while the primary olfactory cortex involves the piriform cortex. Relatively little is known about the central-nervous integration of stimuli from foods. The main aim of this study in healthy participan...
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2025-04-01
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| author | Mariano Mastinu Divesh Thaploo Jonathan Warr Thomas Hummel |
| author_facet | Mariano Mastinu Divesh Thaploo Jonathan Warr Thomas Hummel |
| author_sort | Mariano Mastinu |
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| description | <b>Background/Objectives</b>: Gustatory stimuli are primarily processed in the insula, while the primary olfactory cortex involves the piriform cortex. Relatively little is known about the central-nervous integration of stimuli from foods. The main aim of this study in healthy participants was to evaluate the processing of olfactory stimuli which are associated with gustatory sensations. <b>Methods</b>: Using a 3T MRI scanner, 47 healthy, right-handed women (mean age: 26.2 ± 4.7 years) with normal senses of taste and smell underwent functional scans. During the analysis, we presented isointense odors (2 “sweet” and 2 “sour”) to subjects using air-dilution olfactometry. Odor delivery (8 s) was alternated with the presentation of odorless air (12 s) and was repeated 10 times. Between each session, participants were asked to associate a taste with the odor. <b>Results</b>: The gustatory areas (insula and frontal operculum) were activated by exposure to odors. In addition, increased activations were observed in the bilateral angular gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, and right caudate and nucleus accumbens during the perception of sour-like odors compared to sweet-like odors. <b>Conclusions</b>: The distinct neural responses to different odor categories suggest that the brain processes odors with varying hedonic and sensory characteristics through distinct neural pathways. Future research could explore how these findings translate to real-world food preferences and dietary behaviors, particularly in relation to individual differences in taste perception. |
| format | Article |
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| issn | 2076-3425 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-04-01 |
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| spelling | doaj-art-cbddbe03c80a466a875374c8a410962b2025-08-20T02:17:24ZengMDPI AGBrain Sciences2076-34252025-04-0115441810.3390/brainsci15040418Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI StudyMariano Mastinu0Divesh Thaploo1Jonathan Warr2Thomas Hummel3Smell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, GermanySmell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, GermanyTakasago, 75017 Paris, FranceSmell & Taste Clinic, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Faculty of Medicine Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany<b>Background/Objectives</b>: Gustatory stimuli are primarily processed in the insula, while the primary olfactory cortex involves the piriform cortex. Relatively little is known about the central-nervous integration of stimuli from foods. The main aim of this study in healthy participants was to evaluate the processing of olfactory stimuli which are associated with gustatory sensations. <b>Methods</b>: Using a 3T MRI scanner, 47 healthy, right-handed women (mean age: 26.2 ± 4.7 years) with normal senses of taste and smell underwent functional scans. During the analysis, we presented isointense odors (2 “sweet” and 2 “sour”) to subjects using air-dilution olfactometry. Odor delivery (8 s) was alternated with the presentation of odorless air (12 s) and was repeated 10 times. Between each session, participants were asked to associate a taste with the odor. <b>Results</b>: The gustatory areas (insula and frontal operculum) were activated by exposure to odors. In addition, increased activations were observed in the bilateral angular gyrus, orbitofrontal cortex, and right caudate and nucleus accumbens during the perception of sour-like odors compared to sweet-like odors. <b>Conclusions</b>: The distinct neural responses to different odor categories suggest that the brain processes odors with varying hedonic and sensory characteristics through distinct neural pathways. Future research could explore how these findings translate to real-world food preferences and dietary behaviors, particularly in relation to individual differences in taste perception.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/4/418olfactionfood odorsfMRIsour odororbitofrontal cortexodor–taste association |
| spellingShingle | Mariano Mastinu Divesh Thaploo Jonathan Warr Thomas Hummel Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study Brain Sciences olfaction food odors fMRI sour odor orbitofrontal cortex odor–taste association |
| title | Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study |
| title_full | Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study |
| title_fullStr | Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study |
| title_short | Cortical Representation of Food-Related Odors in Gustatory Areas Differs According to Their Taste Association: An fMRI Study |
| title_sort | cortical representation of food related odors in gustatory areas differs according to their taste association an fmri study |
| topic | olfaction food odors fMRI sour odor orbitofrontal cortex odor–taste association |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3425/15/4/418 |
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