Functional magnetic resonance imaging investigation of brain regions associated with astringency.

Previous studies have investigated mechanisms of the perception of the five basic tastes at the peripheral and neural levels. However, little is known regarding the specific mechanisms and brain activity associated with the perception of astringency. In the present study, we aimed to clarify these mechanisms using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in conjunction with taste stimuli, and to investigate the association between subjective appraisal of taste and brain activity. Brain activation to astringency was observed in the insula, superior orbitofrontal cortex, cingulate cortex, and frontal inferior triangularis. In addition, the right ventral anterior insula, which is part of the primary gustatory cortex, showed the strongest blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) response to astringent stimuli. Brain activation to bitter and sweet taste was observed in the insula. Each of the three tastes activated a different region of the insula. Also, a subregion in the right anterior insula responded to both astringent and bitter stimuli. Moreover, we observed relationships between the BOLD responsivity during astringent, sweet, and bitter stimuli and the participant's drinking habits regarding representative beverages of each taste. These results indicate a potential correlation between lifestyle and brain activity with regard to taste perception.

Involvement of glial P2Y1 receptors in cognitive deficit after focal cerebral stroke in a rodent model.

BACKGROUND: Neuroinflammation is associated with many conditions that lead to dementia, such as cerebrovascular disorders or Alzheimer's disease. However, the specific role of neuroinflammation in the progression of cognitive deficits remains unclear. To understand the molecular mechanisms underlying these events we used a rodent model of focal cerebral stroke, which causes deficits in hippocampus-dependent cognitive function. METHODS: Cerebral stroke was induced by middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). Hippocampus-dependent cognitive function was evaluated by a contextual fear conditioning test. The glial neuroinflammatory responses were investigated by immunohistochemical evaluation and diffusion tensor MRI (DTI). We used knockout mice for P2Y1 (P2Y1KO), a glial ADP/ATP receptor that induces the release of proinflammatory cytokines, to examine the links among P2Y1-mediated signaling, the neuroinflammatory response, and cognitive function. RESULTS: Declines in cognitive function and glial neuroinflammatory response were observed after MCAO in both rats and mice. Changes in the hippocampal tissue were detected by DTI as the mean diffusivity (MD) value, which corresponded with the cognitive decline at 4 days, 1 week, 3 weeks, and 2 months after MCAO. Interestingly, the P2Y1KO mice with MCAO showed a decline in sensory-motor function, but not in cognition. Furthermore, the P2Y1KO mice showed neither a hippocampal glial neuroinflammatory response (as assessed by immunohistochemistry) nor a change in hippocampal MD value after MCAO. In addition, wild-type mice treated with a P2Y1-specific antagonist immediately after reperfusion did not show cognitive decline. CONCLUSION: Our findings indicate that glial P2Y1 receptors are involved in the hippocampal inflammatory response. The findings from this study may contribute to the development of a therapeutic strategy for brain infarction, targeting the P2Y1 receptor.