Localization of cortical gustatory area in rats and its role in taste discrimination.

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Abstract
The distribution of the spots on the cerebral cortex at which a surface positive potential is evoked by electrical stimulation of the chorda tympani (CT), glossopharyngeal nerve (GN) and lingual nerve (LN) was mapped in rats. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected into the cortical projection areas of these tongue afferents. Labeled cells were localized in the thalamus to determine the thalamocortical connections of these nerves. The functional significance of the cortical gustatory area was studied by monitoring the effects of ablations of the cortical areas for tongue afferents on conditioned taste aversion. Taste inputs projected to 2 different locations in the rat''s cortex. One location, the anterior CT area and the ventral 3rd of the GN area, may receive direct thalamocortical inputs and play an important role in taste discrimination, as shown by the behavioral assessment. The other, which is an overlapped area of the posterior CT area and the dorsal 3rd of the GN area, may receive direct thalamocortical inputs, but its functional importance is still vague. Further functional significance of these locations is discussed.

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