J Korean Soc Magn Reson Med.
2005 Jun;9(1):30-35.
Salty-taste Activation of Human Brain Disclosed by Gustatory fMRI Study
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Inje University, S. Korea. mcw@inje.ac.kr
- 2Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Pusan Paik Hospital, S. Korea.
- 3Department of Diagnostic Radiology, College of Medicine, Inje University, S. Korea.
- 4Graduate School of Medical Imaging, Science Inje University, S. Korea.
Abstract
- PURPOSE
The purpose of this study is to observe the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast changes due to the reaction of human brain at a gustatory sense in response to a salty-taste stimulation. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve healthy, non-smoking, right-handed male subjects (mean age: 25.6, range: 23-28 years) participated in this salty-taste stimulus functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) study. MRI scans were performed with 1.5T GE Signa, using a multi-slice GE-EPI sequence according to a blood-oxygen-level dependent (BOLD) experiment paradigm. Scan parameters included matrix size 128 x128, FOV 250 mm, TR 5000 msec, TE 60 msec, TH/GAP 5/2 mm. Sequential data acquisitions were carried out for 42 measurements with a repetition time of 5 sec for each taste-stimulus experiments. Analysis of fMRI data was carried out using SPM99 implemented in Matlab. NaCl solution (3%) was used as a salty stimulus. The task paradigm consisted of alternating rest-stimulus cycles (30-second rest, 15-second stimulus) for 210 seconds. During the stimulus period, NaCl-solution was presented to the subject's mouth through plastic tubes as a bolus of delivered every 5 sec using-processor controlled auto-syringe pump. RESULTS: Insula, frontal opercular taste cortex, amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) were activated by a salty-taste stimulation (NaCl, 3%) in the fMRI experiments. And dosolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was also significantly responded to salty-taste stimuli. Activation areas of the right side hemisphere were more superior to the left side hemisphere. CONCLUSION: The results of this study well correspond to the fact that both insula, amygdala, OFC, DLPFC areas are established as taste cortical areas by neuronal recordings in primates. Authors found that laboratory developed auto-syringe pump is suitable for gustatory fMRI study. Further research in this field will accelerate to inquire into the mechanism of higher order gustatory process.
