ABSTRACT
Acknowledgment ..................................................................................................... 99 References................................................................................................................ 99
The gustatory system in mammals provides sensory input that is critical for the regulation of ingestive behavior and the avoidance of toxic substances. Taste serves a unique role among sensory systems in the extent to which it interfaces with neural substrates of reward and motivation.1 For example, sweet-and bitter-tasting stimuli produce inherent preference and avoidance, respectively, and sweet-tasting stimuli
can serve as effective reinforcers. The anatomy of the taste system reflects its dual role as both a discriminative system, designed to determine subtle differences in taste quality and intensity, and a motivational one, which underlies the acceptance and rejection of potential foods. Anatomically, the taste system is situated between the external environment and the internal milieu, making taste a rostral extension of the visceral afferent system.2
