Sollars S I, Hill D L
Department of Psychology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA.
Chem Senses. 2000 Dec;25(6):719-27. doi: 10.1093/chemse/25.6.719.
Restriction of dietary sodium during gestation has major effects on taste function and anatomy in the offspring. The chorda tympani nerve of offspring that are maintained on sodium-reduced chow throughout life (NaDep) has reduced neurophysiological responses to sodium and altered morphology of its terminal field in the nucleus of the solitary tract. There are many anatomical and physiological similarities between the chorda tympani nerve that innervates taste buds on the anterior tongue and the greater superficial petrosal nerve (GSP) that innervates taste buds on the palate. To determine if the GSP is similarly susceptible to the effects of dietary sodium restriction, the present study examined neurophysiological responses and the terminal field of the GSP in NaDep and control rats. Neurophysiological responses of the GSP to a variety of sodium and non-sodium stimuli did not differ between NaDep and control rats. Furthermore, the volume and shape of the GSP terminal field in the nucleus of the solitary tract did not differ between the groups. Therefore, despite the high degree of functional and anatomical correspondence between the chorda tympani nerve and the GSP, the GSP does not appear to be susceptible to the effects of lifelong dietary sodium restriction.
妊娠期限制膳食钠摄入对后代的味觉功能和解剖结构有重大影响。终生食用低钠食物（NaDep）的后代的鼓索神经对钠的神经生理反应降低，其在孤束核中的终末场形态发生改变。支配舌前部味蕾的鼓索神经与支配腭部味蕾的岩大浅神经（GSP）在解剖学和生理学上有许多相似之处。为了确定GSP是否同样易受膳食钠限制的影响，本研究检测了NaDep大鼠和对照大鼠中GSP的神经生理反应和终末场。NaDep大鼠和对照大鼠的GSP对多种钠和非钠刺激的神经生理反应没有差异。此外，两组之间孤束核中GSP终末场的体积和形状没有差异。因此，尽管鼓索神经和GSP在功能和解剖学上有高度的对应性，但GSP似乎不易受终生膳食钠限制的影响。
