Cerf-Ducastel B, Haase L, Murphy C
Department of Psychology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA.
Chemosens Percept. 2012 Mar;5(1):100-109. doi: 10.1007/s12078-011-9109-1.
The goal of the present study was to investigate whether the psychophysical evaluation of taste stimuli using magnitude estimation influences the pattern of cortical activation observed with neuroimaging. That is, whether different brain areas are involved in the magnitude estimation of pleasantness relative to the magnitude estimation of intensity. fMRI was utilized to examine the patterns of cortical activation involved in magnitude estimation of pleasantness and intensity during hunger in response to taste stimuli. During scanning, subjects were administered taste stimuli orally and were asked to evaluate the perceived pleasantness or intensity using the general Labeled Magnitude Scale (Green 1996, Bartoshuk et al. 2004). Image analysis was conducted using AFNI. Magnitude estimation of intensity and pleasantness shared common activations in the insula, rolandic operculum, and the medio dorsal nucleus of the thalamus. Globally, magnitude estimation of pleasantness produced significantly more activation than magnitude estimation of intensity. Areas differentially activated during magnitude estimation of pleasantness versus intensity included, e.g., the insula, the anterior cingulate gyrus, and putamen; suggesting that different brain areas were recruited when subjects made magnitude estimates of intensity and pleasantness. These findings demonstrate significant differences in brain activation during magnitude estimation of intensity and pleasantness to taste stimuli. An appreciation for the complexity of brain response to taste stimuli may facilitate a clearer understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying eating behavior and over consumption.
本研究的目的是调查使用数量估计法对味觉刺激进行心理物理学评估是否会影响神经成像观察到的皮质激活模式。也就是说，相对于强度的数量估计，不同的脑区是否参与愉悦度的数量估计。功能性磁共振成像（fMRI）被用于检查饥饿期间对味觉刺激做出反应时，参与愉悦度和强度数量估计的皮质激活模式。在扫描过程中，给受试者口服味觉刺激，并要求他们使用通用的标记量值量表（Green，1996；Bartoshuk等人，2004）来评估感知到的愉悦度或强度。使用AFNI进行图像分析。强度和愉悦度的数量估计在脑岛、中央 operculum和丘脑的背内侧核中存在共同激活。总体而言，愉悦度的数量估计比强度的数量估计产生的激活明显更多。在愉悦度与强度的数量估计过程中差异激活的区域包括，例如，脑岛、前扣带回和壳核；这表明当受试者对强度和愉悦度进行数量估计时，会募集不同的脑区。这些发现表明，在对味觉刺激的强度和愉悦度进行数量估计时，大脑激活存在显著差异。了解大脑对味觉刺激反应的复杂性，可能有助于更清楚地理解饮食行为和过度进食背后的神经机制。
