A human thalamic nucleus mediating taste and multiple other sensations related to ingestive behavior. F.A. Lenz, R.H. Gracely, T.A.Zirh, D.A.Leopold, L.H. Rowland, P.M. Dougherty. Departments of Neurosurgery, Neuroscience and Otolaryngology, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, MD 21287-7713 and the Pain and Neurosensory Mechanisms Branch, National Institute of Dental Research, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
APStracts 4:0068N, 1997.
ABSTRACT
Taste is the only primary sensory modality for which the human central nervous system pathways are unknown, until now. We report sensations evoked by stimulation at microampere current levels in the region of the human thalamic nucleus (ventralis caudalis parvocellularis internis, Vcpci) corresponding to the monkey taste relay nucleus. Stimulation in this region during awake neurosurgical procedures evoked special visceral/somatic (taste/pungent smell), general visceral (fullness of a hollow viscus), plus painful and non- painful general somatic sensations. General somatic or visceral sensation was evoked by stimulation at 80% of sites where special visceral/somatic sensation was evoked. These results suggest that primate taste relay mediates multiple sensations in addition to taste. 

Received 7 November 1996; accepted in final form 11 February 1997.
APS Manuscript Number J879-6.
Article publication pending J. Neurophysiol.
ISSN 1080-4757 Copyright 1997 The American Physiological Society.
Published in APStracts on 5 March 1997