Taste and olfaction

Dr. Altdorfer Károly

• Taste and smell - associated with memory and emotion

• Taste and smell can influence gastrointestinal secretion

Umami from the Japanese umami ( うまみ ) meaning "pleasant savory taste” - Glutamate -

Taste in food selection:

sweet - nutritious food.

bitter – avoided

Taste

Secondary sensory epithelium

Parietal operculum

collaterals to - hypothalamus and - CN secretomotor nuclei

Olfaction

Olfaction

Primary sensory epithelium

Rhinencephalon stria olfactoria medialis,

et lateralis

Lateral olfactory stria through limen insulae:

1) Prepiriform area (Br 51; primary olfactory cortex): •Ambient gyrus,•semilunar gyrus, •corticomedial nuclear group of amygdala

2) Axons of these neurons go entorhinal area (Br 28) - also olfactory cortex.

1) and 2) together: Piriform cortex

Medial olfactory stria septal nuclei (subcallosal, paraterminal gyri) anterior commissurelimbic system (input!)

Aura of temporal (psychomotor) epilepsy often starts with feeling of not existing smells (hallucination).

Odors can cause visceral reflexes:

- smell of favourite food salivation

- disgusting smell nausea, vomiting.

Connections via medial forebrain bundle (MFB): olfacto-hypothalamo-tegmental association (to autonomic nuclei)

Odors can recall memories (orbitofrontal cortex)

Odors can influence mood, behaviour (via limbic system)