Integration of gustatory and somatosensory information in the tongue

项目总结 味蕾是负责检测和阐述味觉信号的感觉要素。 在舌前部，它们由味觉纤维(来自鼓索神经)支配，传递 传递给大脑的信号也通过丰富的躯体感觉纤维网络(来自三叉神经的舌支 (神经)被伤害性刺激激活。这种近在咫尺的位置提供了促进互动的理想位置 在这两个系统之间。这个项目的主要目标是更好地理解和描述这些 在中枢神经系统进一步处理信号之前，舌头水平的相互作用。我们会 使用各种技术与转基因动物相结合来检验各种不同的假设 神经肽和神经递质从体感纤维释放出来，激活味觉细胞，这 引起味觉反应的调制。我们将利用光遗传学的优势来特别刺激 并研究它们的激活对味觉细胞和味觉反应的影响。如果 这一探索性研究项目的成功将支持味觉和味觉之间的相互作用的理论 体感系统发生在舌头上，为未来的拨款申请提供了足够的试点数据。这个 收集的数据将扩大我们对食物感知的多模式方面的理解，并最终， 提供方法来提高营养更好的食物的享乐性价值。

PROJECT SUMMARY Taste buds are the sensory elements responsible for the detection and elaboration of the taste signal. In the anterior tongue, they are innervated by gustatory fibers (from the chorda tympani nerve) transmitting the signal to the brain but also by a rich network of somatosensory fibers (from the lingual branch of the trigeminal nerve) activated by nociceptive stimuli. This close proximity presents an ideal location to facilitate interactions between the two systems. The main goal of this project is to better understand and characterize these interactions at the tongue level, before further processing of the signal in the central nervous system. We will use a variety of techniques in combination with transgenic animals to test the hypothesis that various neuropeptides and neurotransmitters are released from somatosensory fibers and activate taste cells, which causes a modulation of gustatory responses. We will take advantage of optogenetics to specifically stimulate somatosensory fibers with light and study the effects of their activation on taste cells and taste responses. If successful, this exploratory research project will support the theory that interactions between the gustatory and somatosensory systems occur in the tongue and provide enough pilot data for a future grant application. The data collected will expand our understanding of the multi-modal aspect of food perception and ultimately, provide approaches to improve the hedonic value of nutritionally preferable foods.