Cerebral activation focusing on strong tasting food: a functional magnetic resonance imaging study.
Very little research has been conducted on taste imagery because of the difficulty of doing so. We conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging study to observe cerebral activation patterns produced in volunteers concentrating on pickled plums (umeboshi), a traditional Japanese food with a strong and sour taste. Activation was observed in the right insula, the bilateral opercula, the bilateral orbitofrontal cortices and the left Broca's area. Activation in the insula (primary gustatory area) was very weak and limited to one side. The activation pattern was similar to that of taste perception. Our results showed that it is possible for humans to imagine tastes.
Kikuchi
Senichiro
S
Department of Psychiatry, Jichi Medical School, 3311-1 Yakushiji, Minamikawachimachi, Kawachigun, Tochigi Pref. 329-0498, Japan. skikuchi@jichi.ac.jp
Kubota
Fumio
F
Nisijima
Koichi
K
Washiya
Sumio
S
Kato
Satoshi
S
D000328:Adult; D001931:Brain Mapping; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000098:blood supply / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005502:Food; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010465:Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013268:Stimulation, Chemical; D013649:Taste / Q000502:physiology*
D010100:Oxygen